tracked leaders, hit 6th, ridden and weakened from 4 out
always towards rear, beaten from 4 out
always towards rear, beaten from 4 out
mid-division, ridden and weakened from 3 out
tracked leaders, led 4 out, driven out from 2 out
mid-division, headway to chase winner from 3 out, kept on one pace
held up, headway approaching 3 out, soon disputed 2nd, ridden and one pace flat
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, ridden next, pulled up after 3 out
towards rear, headway after 4 out to chase winner approaching 2 out, soon ridden and weakened approaching last
mid-division, weakened from 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
Withdrawn
Nonrunner
Ben Britten, Irish Raptor and Greenfort Brave form the short list for the finale, with the selection being Ben Britten. There is quite a mixed bag here, containing a number of seemingly modest and out-of-form horses. This type of assessment led us to our short list, and more on them now follows. Shady Baron defied a long absence to win on the soft at Market Rasen last time. On the face of things, that was a good effort, but conditons are a lot different today for a horse that was off the track owing to a leg fracture. Ben Britten is lightly raced but is weighted to be competitive based on his chasing form and the going today will hold no fears, and Irish Raptor is extremely well treated best on his best chasing form as he won off a mark of 125 at Sandown in February. Greenfort Brave holds place claims based on his Sedgefield run of September 4th, although that did come in first-time blinkers. Finally, Incas and Jallastep are others to be well-treated based on their best chasing form of the last year. For the selection, though, we return to Ben Britten.
Possextown (IRE) 33-1 (11-6) In touch, went prominent after 4th until 11th, ridden approaching 4 out, 3rd and weakening when pulled up 3 out in race won by Mighty Fine (11-9) at Perth 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Jul, 11 ran.
Totally Scottish Evensfav (10-9) Held up in mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, left in front 2 out, soon ridden, one pace and headed close home, 2nd of 6, 3/4l behind Sono (10-10) at Perth 3m clm hdl (5) gs in Aug.
Lease 9-1 (10-10) Towards rear, hampered 2nd, behind 6th, tailed off, 11th of 13, well behind Masjoor (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 4f clm hdl (5) gf.
Shady Baron (IRE) 20-1 (10-0) Held up, outpaced 3 out, plenty to do approaching 2 out, rallied approaching last, stayed on to lead near finish, won at Market Rasen 2m 6f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Aug beating Tonic Du Charmil (11-12) by 1 1/2l, 10 ran.
Wise Tale 25-1 (10-0) Slowly away, soon detached in rear, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Hurlers Cross (9-9) at Sedgefield 3m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf, 15 ran.
Irish Raptor (IRE) 8-1 (10-7) Mid-division, headway to lead 10th (Becher's), headed approaching 2 out, no extra approaching last, 7th of 29, 18l behind Dunbrody Millar (10-0) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gd in Apr.
Incas (FR) 14-1 (11-12) Held up towards rear, weakened 2 out, 8th of 9, 44l behind Milord Lescribaa (11-11) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Aug.
Nicozetto (FR) 11-1 (10-0) Held up and behind, smooth headway approaching 2 out, soon ridden and beaten, 9th of 13, 34l behind Hollows Mill (10-0) at Carlisle 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) sft in Feb.
Jallastep (FR) 14-1 (10-0) Behind, lost place 8th, hampered 10th and pulled up 5 out in race won by Love That Benny (11-9) at Perth 2m 4f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gf in Aug, 10 ran.
Snow's Ride 25-1 (10-9) In touch, ridden after 3 out, stayed on same pace from next, 5th of 15, 7l behind Court One (11-0) at Sedgefield 2m 5f cnd hcp hdl 0-100 (4) gf.
Wide As Thunder (IRE) 14-1 (10-8) Tracked leaders, progress into moderate 3rd 5 out, ridden and weakened after 3 out, 6th of 18, 8l behind Skip Two (11-7) at Clonmel 2m 4f hacp hdl gf.
Greenfort Brave (IRE) 11-1 (9-7) Mid-division, reminders after 7th, struggling from next, tailed off, 5th of 10, well behind Sea Wall (11-5) at Bangor 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gf.
Ben Britten 11-2 (11-5) Held up towards rear, some headway approaching 6th, never dangerous, 6th of 9, 33l behind Milord Lescribaa (11-11) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Aug.
