led, headed 2nd, led again 9th, headed when hit 11th, ridden 5 out, weakened 3 out
led 2nd, soon clear, headed briefly 9th, led again 11th, mistake 6 out, narrow leader when fell 3 out
always in rear, behind from 11th, soon pulled up
tracked leaders, headway to join leaders 9th, ridden 15th, bad mistake when left in lead 3 out, all out flat
in touch, headway 12th, ridden approaching 14th, hampered 3 out, not recover
in touch, ridden and outpaced 13th, stayed on from 3 out, rallied flat, not reach winner
Mr Cospector won well enough at Warwick last time but has more on his plate here against some useful sorts, as do Dirk Cove and Young Ottoman. French raider Rasko has won twice over hurdles and makes his chase debut. The ground cannot be testing enough for him and Francois Doumen's charge may find conditions a little on the fast side. Joly Bey was beaten by a useful opponent in Lucky Bay on his last visit here in a Grade 2 contest, but that was still smart enough form for him to be the one to beat. Still only five, he can make up into a top-class staying chaser in time and TEAMtalk think that he will have too much class for for his main rival Iris Royal. Nicky Henderson's six-year-old, being a half-brother to Gallant Moss, should have no problem staying three miles over fences, and indeed his second on his chase debut at Kempton revealed as much. However, at this stage of his development, the scalp of Joly Bey looks a bit of a tall order.
