raced wide, held up in rear, ridden 9th, lost touch 4 out, pulled up before next
chased leader to 9th, mistake and outpaced 11th, rallied under pressure approaching 3 out, kept on flat
hampered 1st, chased leaders, weakened under pressure 8th, soon well behind, tailed off when pulled up approaching 3 out (bbv)
hampered 1st, held up, headway to go 3rd 11th, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out
chased leaders, led 9th, clear when blundered next, in command 3 out, weakened approaching last, driven and all out flat
in touch, headway to chase leaders approaching 3 out, hit next, stayed on well as winner weakened flat
badly hampered and unseated rider 1st
Free Gift is a reliable jumper and entitled to be thereabouts again but Robert Alner's gelding may have to settle for a minor role behind a rejuvenated Big Rob, who gets the vote with Randwick Roar rated the best of the rest. The selection has had his problems in the past but looked to be back to his best when scoring in good fashion at Huntingdon last time and a repeat of his display that day should suffice even off his new mark. Simon Sherwood's Il'athou is capable but may just be a shade high in the weights at present, while Umbrella Man could need the run on his first start since March. Randwick Roar looked to be going the right way when last seen in Ireland and could be of interest on his British debut but Big Rob has the potential to be a good bit better than his current mark and he gets the vote to win again.
Big Rob (IRE) 2-1fav (11-8) Close up, led soon after 3 out, shaken up flat, ran on, won at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gf beating Kety Star (10-12) by 1 1/2l, 8 ran.
Il'athou (FR) 3-1 (11-11) Led after 1st, headed 3rd, led again 4th until after 7th, outpaced from 3 out, 5th of 16, 14l behind No Guarantees (11-9) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gs in Apr.
Wrags To Riches (IRE) 20-1 (11-9) Prominent, badly hampered and lost place 5th, ridden 12th, soon behind, 6th of 7, 34l behind Sento (10-13) at Stratford 2m 5f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Oct.
Randwick Roar (IRE) 8-11fav (11-12) Tracked leader in 2nd, slight mistake 5 out, ridden approaching 3 out, no impression from before next, 2nd of 5, 8l behind Vic Ville (11-5) at Listowel 2m 4f chs gf in Jun.
Umbrella Man (IRE) 6-1 (11-2) Held up rear, headway 10th, led soon after 3 out, easily, won at Stratford 3m hcp chs 0-120 (3) gs in Mar beating Dickensbury Lad (11-7) by 14l, 15 ran.
Kosmos Bleu (FR) 11-1 (11-12) Chased leader, in touch when blundered badly and unseated rider at the 12th in race won by Petitjean (10-7) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd, 6 ran.
Free Gift 2-1 (11-9) Led to approaching 4 out, soon ridden, weakening when left 2nd 3 out, no chance after, 2nd of 6, 14l behind Petitjean (10-7) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd.
In The Frame (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Mid-division, ridden 3 out, never on terms, 4th of 9, 27l behind Mandingo Chief (10-2) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Oct.
