in rear, headway 9th, kept on same pace
towards rear, took closer order 12th, ridden 16th, further headway 4 out, weakening approaching last
led, headed 8th, led again 13th, ridden when every chance last, weakened and headed flat
in touch, lost place 12th, headway after 16th, ridden 4 out, hit 2 out, ran on strongly flat, not reach winner
mid-division until mistake 13th, soon ridden and weakened 18th, pulled up before 2 out
mid-division, took closer order 9th, mistake 10th, ridden 16th when blundered badly 5 out, soon beaten
always in rear, tailed off and fell 3 out
mid-division, mistake 7th, ridden 15th, weakened soon after
mid-division when mistake 1st, dropped rear, mistake again 16th, weakened next
in touch, driven along 4 out to chase leaders, weakening approaching 3 out
mid-division when ridden 4 out, weakened 3 out
in touch until ridden 5 out, no impression
always towards rear, reminders 8th, pulled up before 4 out
always prominent, hit 3rd and 6th, hit 16th, ridden 4 out, led last when bad blunder, not recover
in touch, headway approaching 16th, every chance when bad mistake 4 out, rallied approaching 2 out, no extra
tracked leader until led 8th, headed 13th, driven along 5 out, every chance when mistake last, not recover
mid-division until weakened 17th
mid-division when slow jump 1st, soon mid-division, headway 16th, ridden 4 out, pecked 3 out, soon weakened
mistakes on outside until fell 6th
always behind
in rear, took closer order 10th, ridden 14th, weakened 16th, pulled up before 4 out
mid-division, ridden 4 out, weakening approaching 3 out, fell last
in touch until weakened 16th
always in touch, ridden 4 out, stayed on approaching 2 out, ran on well to lead after last, all out
A competitive renewal for the Hennessy with 25 runners standing their ground at the overnight stage headed in the weights by Henrietta Knight's Lord Noelie. The gelding unseated Jim Culloty at Wetherby on his reappearance and will need to jump better if he is to take a hand off his big weight. Marlborough, who won that race by two lengths from Peter Beaumont's Royal & SunAlliance Novices' Chase winner Hussard Collonges, with Gingembre another neck back in third place meets those rivals again. At the weights and with the stable coming into form now narrow preference from the three is for the Beaumont horse. Grand National winner Bindaree, a faller in the Becher Chase on Sunday, has been rerouted to this contest but is likely to again be short of his best. Noel Meade's Harbour Pilot has been the subject of heavy support in recent days but, with the stable out of form, is difficult to fancy. Intervet Trophy Handicap Chase first and second, Stromez and Southern Star, both have to be respected off handy marks. The former is one of four runners in the race representing trainer Martin Pipe, all of who carry 10st 11lb. Of the others second season chaser Iznogoud is open to improvement but looks harshly treated on his handicap chase debut, Scottish National winner Take Control probably needs a stiffer test of stamina and the one that looks the pick of the quartet is Bounce Back. The Attheraces Gold Cup winner is still unexposed over fences in this country after just five starts and, although raised 13lbs for his Sandown success, may still be ahead of the handicapper. Tony McCoy has chosen the ex-French-trained gelding ahead of the other Pipe runners and so do TEAMtalk who make him the selection. But for being 7lbs wrong in the weights Direct Access and Gola Cher would have gone close to receiving the vote, while Frosty Canyon would have stronger claims if his stable were in better form but we are happy to stick with the choice of A P.
