never going well in rear, hit 6th and next, ridden 12th, losing touch when blundered 16th and pulled up before next
led, cleared 6th, hit 7th, blundered and headed 17th, blundered 4 out, no chance when blundered and unseated rider 3 out
held up in rear but in touch, steady headway 12th, chased winner 4 out, no chance after next
tracked leaders, until steadly lost pace from 6th, dropped to rear 11th, tailed off and pulled up before 13th
held up in touch, went 3rd 4 out, hit next, outpaced and no chance after
tracked leaders, led 17th, in command after 3 out, clear 2 out, eased flat
held up in touch, blundered and lost place 9th, blundered 13th, tailed and pulled up after 16th
tracked leader, awkward 8th, losing place when blundered 17th, soon no chance and eased from 4 out, tailed off
Supreme Developer gets the call ahead of Beau Supreme and Lord Who. An early mistake put paid to Supreme Developer's Rehearsal Chase aspirations last time, but he then stayed on pretty well to secure sixth spot, and this interesting type could be interesting over today's trip. The lightly-raced Beau Supreme ran pretty well when fourth over a slightly shorter trip here last time and is one to consider. Lord Who comes into it based on his best Irish form, which includes a win at Grade 2 level, while Spring Grove remains well-weighted based on his best form but has shown little sparkle recently. The 2002 Hennessy Gold Cup winner, Gingembre is very well-weighted on that form, but he's had his troubles since, while Bica was considered good enough to run at Grade 1 level in France last time and could be interesting on his British debut. Eurotrek is another to have had his problems but this formerly-promising hurdler should strip fitter for his latest run, so watch the betting. That also applies to Brendan Powell's lightly-raced Bubble Boy but, for the selection, we return to Supreme Developer.
Supreme Developer (IRE) 7-1 (9-9) Chased leaders, blundered badly 1st, soon behind, never dangerous, 6th of 12, 33l behind Direct Access (10-0) at Newcastle 3m lst hcp chs (A) sft in Nov.
Lord Who (IRE) 20-1 (11-12) Jumped poorly in rear, tailed off when pulled up at the 14th in race won by Getoutwhenyoucan (10-11) at Cheltenham 3m amt hcp chs 0-135 (E) gs in Nov, 9 ran.
Spring Grove (IRE) 25-1 (10-9) Mid-division, lost place 11th, mistake 4 out and soon weakened, 7th of 16, 25l behind Bold Bishop (11-3) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (B) gd in Nov.
Gingembre (FR) 50-1 (10-3) Chased leaders, hit 18th, soon lost place, hit 21st, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by Joes Edge (9-11) at Ayr 4m 1f hcp chs Grd 3 (A) gd in Apr, 20 ran.
Bica (FR) (10-1) won at Auteuil 2m 4f chs hvy in May '04 beating Feroe (9-13) by 6l, 10 ran.
Eurotrek (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) In touch, mistake 13th, pushed along 15th, effort after 4 out, weakened next, 4th of 6, 19l behind Native Ivy (11-9) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-130 (C) gs in Nov.
Beau Supreme (IRE) 50-1 (11-4) In touch, ridden from 11th, plugged on from 3 out but never a danger, 4th of 11, 10l behind Ladalko (11-11) at Newbury 3m amt hcp chs 0-125 (E) gd in Nov.
Bubble Boy (IRE) 18-1 (11-7) Blundered 1st, tracked leader to 5th, challenged 12th, mistake next, weakened 14th, 4th of 5, 37l behind Liverpool Echo (10-12) at Cheltenham 3m 1f nov chs (B) gd in Apr.
