tracked leader, led 3rd, made rest, clear 3 out, ridden between last two, stayed on gamely run-in
tracked leading trio, 3rd at 4th, 2nd at 6th, went left 3 out, ridden edged left and went badly left 2 out, soon beaten, no chance with winner
led until 3rd, chased winner until 6th, chased leading pair, outpaced 9th, struggling when blundered 12th, tailed off and pulled up before 14th
raced wide tracking pair until 4th, chased leading trio, not fluent and reminder 11th, driven along and outpaced 13th, tred jump 4 out, pulled up before next
O'Faolains Boy won the Reynoldstown and the RSA Chase the season before last but was pulled up on his return from injury at Ascot. He might have needed that but his yard is struggling for winners at present. Sausalito Sunrise bounced to form in a Grade 3 handicap over a longer trip at Cheltenham and will go close if in the same mood but he has to give 11lb to the less-exposed ARPEGE D'ALENE. He was clear of the third when second to Junction Fourteen in a Grade 2 novices event at Wincanton last month and gave every indication that the step up to 3m would suit. Kaysersberg is hard to catch right and is likely to find this company too hot to handle.
O'Faolains Boy (IRE) 16-1 (11-1) Not fluent and never travelled in rear, tailing off when pulled up after 7th, at Ascot 2m 5f (1) gs in Nov.
Sausalito Sunrise (IRE) 7-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, not fluent 1st, mistake 8th, headway on outside 3 out, led 2 out, edged left before last and flat, driven out, won at Cheltenham 3m 3f hcp (1) gs in Nov beating Upswing (10-9) by 1 1/4l, 17 ran.
Kaysersberg (FR) 7-2 (10-8) Led, headed before 4 out, every chance next, outpaced before 2 out, no extra closing stages, 4th of 5, 7 1/4l behind Brother Tedd (10-13) at Kempton 2m 5f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Arpege D'alene (FR) 13-8fav (11-2) Tracked leaders in 4th, left 2nd 11th, ridden before 3 out, driven and no impression between last two, 2 lengths down last, kept on same pace and no chance with winner run-in, 2nd of 6, 4 1/2l behind Junction Fourteen (11-8) at Wincanton 2m 4f (1) sft in Nov.