raced in 3rd, ridden, went 2 lengths 2nd when slithered on landing 3 out and not recover
chased clear leader, closed after 8th, hit 10th, led approaching 11th, clear 2 out, stayed on strongly, eased run-in
hit 1st, held up in rear, mistakes 4th and 9th, stayed on from 4 out, went 3rd 2 out, not reach leaders
chased leaders, reminder 8th, soon struggling, weakened 4 out
held up, steady headway approaching 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, no chance with winner when went left last
in rear when pulled up 9th
led 20 lengths clear at 4th, reduced lead 8th, headed approaching 11th, weakening when blundered 4 out and soon pulled up
in touch, chased leaders 7th, awkward 10th, challenged 4 out, ridden and weakened 2 out
in touch until lost place 6th, blundered 9th and next, tailed off when refused 3 out
Kilcrea Asla was going well enough before falling at the last in a race at Wincanton recently and Tom George's gelding has to be respected if none the worse for that effort but a 5lb rise in the weights since then seems harsh so preference is for BUCK THE LEGEND, who gets the verdict ahead of I Hear A Symphony. The Philip Hobbs-trained gelding benefited from the departure at the third last fence of the odds-on favourite Chapoturgeon when making a winning start to his chasing career at Exeter earlier this month and, while he has to be respected, the six-year-old does not look to be particularly well treated so may be best watched. Tom George's Red Man Ray has run well in his last two starts but may be a shade high in the weights, while Pressgang is hard to back with confidence on his handicap and chasing debut. Andrew Balding's Kervriou has run a couple of promising races over fences but is inconsistent and preference is for Buck The Legend. The son of Anshan has shown improved form for the switch to chasing this season, latterly running out the good winner of a novice handicap at Exeter and the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained gelding is taken to defy the penalty for that success.
I Hear A Symphony (IRE) 10-3 (11-1) Tracked leaders, went second 6th, ridden approaching 4 out, 2 lengths down when left well clear 3 out, won at Exeter 2m 1f beg chs (3) hvy beating Axinit (11-1) by a distance, 4 ran.
Buck The Legend (IRE) 5-2jt-fav (11-4) Led 3rd until 5th, led 9th, kept on strongly from last, pushed out, won at Exeter 2m 3f nov hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft beating Oracle des Mottes (11-7) by 3l, 6 ran.
Pressgang 2-1fav (11-0) Mid-division, headway 7th, led approaching 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened flat, 3rd of 15, 12l behind Bluegun (10-7) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f mdn hdl (4) sft in Apr.
El Zorro 20-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders, pushed along and lost place 7th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Very Cool (11-9) at Newbury 3m nov hdl (4) sft in Mar, 10 ran.
Kilcrea Asla (IRE) 3-1jt-fav (11-11) Prominent, chased leaders 4 out, led on bit 3 out, shaken up when fell at the last in race won by Oracle des Mottes (11-12) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) sft, 8 ran.
Kings Signal (USA) 25-1 (11-0) Held up and keen, mistake 6th, headway 10th, mistake 3 out, went 3rd next, held when jumping right last, 3rd of 8, 14l behind Heathcote (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 2f beg chs (4) gs.
Red Man Ray (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) With leader, led 7th, ridden and headed 2 out, one pace, 2nd of 11, 3l behind Thievery (10-0) at Warwick 2m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs.
Kervriou (FR) 50-1 (10-10) Held up, blundered and unseated rider at the 2nd in race won by Free World (10-7) at Sandown 2m beg chs (3) gs, 8 ran.
Taipan's Promise (IRE) 20-1 (10-9) Tracked leader, hit 4th, mistake 3 out, ridden and every chance before next, weakened before last, 6th of 9, 25l behind Leo's Lucky Star (11-8) at Ascot 2m nov hdl (3) gd.
