in rear, plugged on, one pace from 3 out
held up in touch, mistake 11th, chased leading pair from next, ridden and blundered 4 out, disputing 2nd from 2 out, went 2nd at last, no chance with winner
soon pushed along in rear, plugged on one pace from 3 out
mistake 2nd, behind, went moderate 4th at 14th, weakened after next
settled behind leading trio, went 3rd 9th, went 2nd at 12th, no impression and lost 2nd at last
behind, hit 5th, driven along from 11th, struggling from 14th
pressed winner, blundered 8th, driven and weakened 12th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
made virtually all, in command and came clear from 2 out easily
tracked clear leading pair until lost place 9th, dropped to last place 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
In a tricky race, we will side with Five Alley ahead of Just Anvil and Dun Locha Castle. There are four course and distance winners in the line-up, these being Five Alley, Dun Locha Castle, Just Anvil and St Kilda. Dun Locha Castle won this race last year, but from a 12-pounds lower mark so has more to do now. Five Alley is six pounds above his c/d win, while Just Anvil ended last year with two wins and could still be reasonably weighted but lacks a recent run but St Kilda would be hard to fancy on this season's runs. A good October now sees Waynesworld 12 pounds above a winning mark, while Lucky Sinna continues to carry the tag of "good chance if getting back to last season's best form". Monk's Error is entitled to have needed his last two runs but is well weighted on his run before them, but that was back in June 2004. Kappelhoff got hammered for a Fontwell win but is now back to a much more reasonable rating, so might go well, while the lightly-raced Ebony Jack has improved for a tongue-tie in his last two runs so could yet go well in what is, as we say, a tricky race. All of which returns us to the selection, which is Five Alley.
Lucky Sinna (IRE) 14-1 (10-5) Held up behind, some headway 17th, soon ridden, no impression after, 6th of 10, 38l behind Lord Anner (10-11) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (D) gd.
Monks Error (IRE) 25-1 (10-1) Mid-division until jumped slowly and dropped rear 10th, tailed off and pulled up at the 16th in race won by All In The Stars (11-4) at Fontwell 3m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (D) gs, 11 ran.
Five Alley (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, mistake and ridden 11th, stayed on from 4 out, 3rd of 10, 18l behind Precious Bane (10-7) at Lingfield 3m nov hcp chs (F) sft.
Dun Locha Castle (IRE) 14-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, weakened 13th, 5th of 8, 24l behind Never Awol (9-13) at Towcester 2m 6f hcp chs 0-105 (E) sft.
Just Anvil (IRE) 11-4fav (10-9) Led, mistake 7th, outpaced by leading pair from 3 out, stayed on to chase leader last, rallied gamely to lead near finish, won at Folkestone 3m 1f hcp chs 0-90 (F) gs in Jan beating Ashgreen (11-5) by a nk, 10 ran.
Kappelhoff (IRE) 25-1 (10-0) Mid-division, hampered badly 7th, kept on, 4th of 13, 21l behind Runaway Bishop (10-1) at Towcester 2m 3f hcp chs 0-105 (E) gd in Oct.
Ballybrophy (IRE) 20-1 (10-0) Prominent, led 7th to 8th, left in lead 11th, headed next, weakened after 13th, 4th of 7, well behind Ashgreen (11-0) at Hereford 3m 1f amt hcp chs 0-100 (F) gd.
Ebony Jack (IRE) 9-1 (10-0) Led to 2nd, stayed prominent, ridden 16th, weakened flat, 5th of 11, 9l behind Cool Song (9-12) at Warwick 3m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (F) gd.
St Kilda 16-1 (9-7) In touch, lost place 7th, tailed off when pulled up at the 14th in race won by Cool Song (9-12) at Warwick 3m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (F) gd, 11 ran.
Waynesworld (IRE) 4-1jt-fav (10-10) Behind, hit 3rd, struggling 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Qualitair Pleasure (11-7) at Doncaster 3m nov hcp hdl 0-100 (E) gd, 15 ran.
