jumped well, raced wide, tracked leading pair, went 2nd 7th and pressed leader, brushed 18th, pushed along briefly after 4 out, led 3 out, soon clear, easily
jumped well, led until 3 out, soon no chance with winner, lost modest 2nd close home
not fluent, chased leader until 7th, chased leading pair, mistake 12th, pushed along and outpaced when hit 4 out, weakened into 4th before next, finished tired, tailed off, blundered last
not fluent, held up in 4th, jumped slowly 4th, not fluent 16th, driven in 3rd and outpaced before 3 out, kept on into 2nd close home, no chance with winner
Rocky Bender has yet to show anything to suggest he can compete at this level and is readily overlooked on his reappearance while Dare To Endeavour was pulled up on his return to action at Wincanton and has a bit to find at the weights. Black Thunder stayed on strongly to be only beaten half-a-length in a competitive Ascot handicap last time but might struggle to give 4lb to the returning CORRIN WOOD (NAP). Donald McCain's gelding, whose only defeat over fences so far came in the RSA Chase in March, beat Black Thunder fair-and-square off level weights at Warwick in January and looks a nice prospect.
Black Thunder (FR) 8-1 (11-6) Held up towards rear, mid-division 8th, headway approaching 4 out, 3rd approaching 2 out, soon switched left and went 2nd 2 out, challenged last, driven and kept on run in, always held, 2nd of 15, 1/2l behind What A Warrior (10-6) at Ascot 3m Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gd in Nov.
Corrin Wood (IRE) 10-1 (11-4) Led, not fluent 4th (water), blundered 15th, headed after 4 out, weakened next, tailed off, 10th of 15, well behind O'Faolains Boy (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs G1 (1) gd in Mar.
Dare To Endeavour 14-1 (11-7) Mid-division, pecked 1st, mistake 11th, struggling 17th, well beaten when slow 4 out, soon pulled up, in a race won by The Young Master (10-13) at Wincanton 3m 1f listed hcp chs (1) gs in Nov, 18 ran.
Rocky Bender (IRE) 5-1 (11-8) Prominent, led approaching 5th, headed next, ridden 14th, weakened before 3 out, 5th of 7, 49l behind High Ron (11-12) at Southwell 3m 2f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Apr.