not fluent, tracked leaders, ridden and dropped rear 13th, no impression after 3 out, soon weakened
took keen hold, tracked leader soon after 10th, stayed prominent, ridden 14th, weakened from 3 out
held up rear, went 2nd after 10th, joined leader 2 out, soon led, tried to refuse last and headed, rallied flat, just failed
took keen hold, led and set steady pace, clear 14th, hit 3 out, joined when blundered 2 out, soon headed, led again last, hard ridden flat, all out finish
A small but select field lines up for this Grade 1 contest with the vote going to Turpin Green, who is preferred to Albuhera and Billyvoddan. The last mentioned found more than was possibly expected when giving weight and a beating to the better fancied Reveillez at Leicester last month and has to be respected on that evidence. The Paul Nicholls-trained Napolitain has not done much wrong, apart from one fall, since being switched to the larger obstacles but may lack the class of the selection. Gary Moore's Stance is held by Napolitain on running at Wincanton in November and on a line through The Listener so a bigger threat is likely to come from Albuhera, who has looked useful on a couple of occasions and should be suited by the underfoot conditions. Turpin Green has always looked likely to be a better chaser than a hurdler though and did nothing to dispel that belief when making a winning chase debut at Carlisle in November. His next run at Kelso probably came too soon afterwards and the Nicky Richards-trained gelding, who clearly goes well when fresh, is taken to resume winning ways.
Albuhera (IRE) 6-1 (11-3) Tracked leaders, hit 4th, ridden to chase winner from 3 out, no impression, 2nd of 5, 12l behind Mister McGoldrick (11-8) at Wetherby 2m chs Grd 2 (A) sft in Dec.
Stance 14-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, always behind, 8th of 12, 31l behind Dempsey (11-12) at Sandown 2m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in Jan.
Turpin Green (IRE) 1-2fav (11-10) Held up in touch, hit 6th, not fluent 10th, went 2nd 12th, ridden and outpaced after 2 out, edged left and one pace flat, 3rd of 8, 8l behind Mel In Blue (10-7) at Kelso 2m 6f nov chs (C) gs in Dec.
Napolitain (FR) 20-1 (10-8) Held up in touch, hit 8th, ridden to chase leading pair 4 out, stayed on to take 2nd flat, 2nd of 7, 3/4l behind The Listener (11-11) at Cheltenham 2m 5f nov chs Grd 2 (1) gs in Jan.
Billyvoddan (IRE) 7-4 (11-12) Prominent, led 4th to approaching 6th, led again 4 out, ridden flat, ran on well, won at Leicester 2m 4f nov chs (3) gs in Jan beating Reveillez (11-2) by 1/2l, 9 ran.
