chased leaders, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened soon after, blundered last, tailed off
led at steady pace, gradually wound up tempo from 4th, ridden and headed before 2 out, soon dropped to 3rd and mistake 2 out, soon no chance with leading duo, mistake last
held up in last pair, headway on outside before 3 out, mistake and awkward on landing 3 out, pulled up before next
chased leader, led before 2 out, driven after 2 out, headed before last, stayed on same pace and no impression flat
chased leaders until weakened quickly before 3 out, soon lost touch, tailed off
held up in rear, smooth headway on inside before 3 out, went 2nd approaching next, led approaching and mistake last, hung right and stayed on well to draw clear flat, ridden out
Lucky Vic arrives in good form but it's not up to the level of today's opposition while Awaywiththegreys and Ballybough Pat have both come up short in Graded company before. Jonjo O'Neill has won this with Backspin and Wichita Lineman in recent years and TAQUIN DU SEUIL may well be of similar ability. He made amends for a setback at Ascot when beating previous winner Le Bec six lengths in a Grade 2 at Sandown in heavy ground and gets the vote to go on to better things here. Paul Nicholls last won this contest in 2006 with Denman but the progressive Easter Day faces his toughest task so far after winning at Ascot while Clondaw Kaempfer landed a Listed event at Haydock last month and the step back up in distance is no problem for the previous 2m4f winner at Aintree.
Awaywiththegreys (IRE) 7-1 (11-8) Tracked leaders, not fluent 8th, went 2nd after 2 out, no chance with winner, one pace in 3rd flat, 3rd of 11, 16l behind Bear's Affair (11-7) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp hdl (2) sft.
Ballybough Pat (IRE) 4-1fav (11-4) Mid-division, headway 5th, challenged 2 out, ridden when hit last, no impression on winner flat, stayed on, 2nd of 17, 2 3/4l behind Fair Along (11-12) at Newbury 3m hcp hdl 0-140 (3) sft in Nov.
Clondaw Kaempfer (IRE) 6-5fav (11-6) Close up, led 3 out, quickened between last 2, jumped right and hit last, ridden and ran on strongly, won at Haydock 2m Listed nov hdl (1) sft in Nov beating Lienosus (11-0) by 4l, 6 ran.
Easter Day (FR) 3-1fav (11-3) Tracked leaders, headway after 4 out, upsides after next, led last, ridden clear flat, won at Ascot 2m 6f nh nov hdl (2) sft in Nov beating Dursey Sound (11-6) by 4l, 8 ran.
Lucky Vic (IRE) 11-8fav (11-5) Chased leader, led 4 out, clear from 3 out, pressed last, under pressure run-in, found extra near finish, won at Ffos Las 2m 6f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jun beating Oca De Thaix (10-5) by 3/4l, 8 ran.
Taquin Du Seuil (FR) 15-8 (11-0) Held up in touch, in touch from 3 out, led before last, kept on well, won at Sandown 2m 4f nov hdl G2 (1) hvy beating Le Bec (11-4) by 6l, 5 ran.
