held up, stumbled 5th, headway next, went 2nd 7th until 8th, not fluent 4 out, challenged 2 out, ridden and unable to quicken flat
tracked leaders, jumped right 2nd, pushed along after 3 out, mistake next, soon beaten
held up, not fluent 5th, headway 4 out, ridden after 2 out, blundered last, weakened flat
held up in rear, headway when not fluent 8th, lost place 4 out, closed 2 out, mistake last, no extra flat
led, pushed along after 3 out, ridden and headed flat, not pace of winner
mostly tracked leader, challenged 2 out, led flat, quickened clear
THREE KINGDOMS isn't bred for chasing but nor was he for hurdles and he won three times over the smaller obstacles. The best of those was when conceding Vibrato Valtat 7lb and beating him a short-head at Kempton in December and he's taken to make a successful debut over fences in an intriguing race. Thomas Crapper, a very useful hurdler with a liking for Cheltenham where he won twice around this time a year ago, has experience over fences but looked as though he needed a stiffer test when beaten a length by Vibrato Valtat off level at Warwick. Such A Legend looks a real staying chaser in the making as does the very progressive Deep Trouble, a Listed winner over timber at Sandown in December, who went to Punchestown in May and beat a huge field in a Grade B handicap. Gone Too Far is bred to be a chaser and though he fell at the first on his chasing bow at Sandown he should soon put that behind him.
Deep Trouble (IRE) 16-1 (10-9) Towards rear, progress 3 out, went 11th 2 out, improved into 2nd entering straight, ridden to lead approaching last, not fluent at last, flicked tail run-in, stayed on well, won at Punchestown 2m 4f hcp hdl in May beating Bally Longford (10-0) by 7l, 25 ran.
Generous Ransom (IRE) 10-1 (10-8) Held up in rear, left in modest 4th place at 9th, slipped up after next, in a race won by The Clock Leary (10-3) at Ascot 2m 3f nov hcap ch (3) gd, 8 ran.
Gone Too Far 9-1 (11-1) Fell 1st, in a race won by Irish Saint (11-1) at Sandown 2m nov chs (2) gs, 3 ran.
Such A Legend 6-5fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, went 2nd before 3rd, challenged 2 out, led before last, soon clear, pushed out, won at Perth 2m nh nov hdl (4) sft in Apr beating Katachenko (11-12) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
Thomas Crapper 11-4 (11-1) Led, driven when joined 2 out, soon hard pressed, ridden after last, kept on, headed and not pace of easy winner final 50 yards, 2nd of 5, 1l behind Vibrato Valtat (11-1) at Warwick 2m nov chs (3) gs.
Three Kingdoms (IRE) 33-1 (11-7) Towards rear, headway into mid-division after 2 out, kept on same pace, never on terms, 12th of 18, 13l behind Vautour (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hdl Grade 1 (1) gs in Mar.
Bin End 25-1 (11-5) Held up in 5th and off the pace, pushed along before 6th, weakened before 8th, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Doctor Ric (10-8) at Huntingdon 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs, 8 ran.
Dresden (IRE) 7-2 (11-12) Took keen hold tracking leaders, challenged 2 out, led before last, about 1 length ahead when fell last, in a race won by Chalk It Down (11-8) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gd in May, 9 ran.