slightly worse than mid-division early, keen and improved into 3rd, slight mistake 3 out, outpaced approaching last and plugged on
close up early before settling mid-division, improved on to heels of leaders 2 out, disputed lead last, quickened clear
led, not fluent 3rd, ridden 2 out and joined last, kept on but not pace of winner
settled towards rear, some headway on run to 2 out but soon ridden and weakened rapidly
in rear, headway approaching 2 out, asked for effort soon after but not quicken
towards rear, improved to mid-division at halfway, tracked leaders into straight but soon ridden and faded
second early before settling third, dropped to fourth before 3rd, nudged along before 2 out where mistake, soon weakened
sat outside leader, asked for effort 2 out, kept on but no match for front two
PAROS won as he liked for Gabriel Leenders at Dieppe in May. He’s been given plenty of time to acclimatise by Nicky Henderson and should be able to give the weight away to Gary Moore’s two runners. Of that pair, French bumper winner Hudson De Grugy is preferred to Royaume Uni, who won on the Flat in June but is having a first run under NH Rules. The Worthy Brat has run well in a couple of bumpers at Exeter and looks best of the rest.
Paros (FR) 7-2 (10-3) won at Dieppe 2m sft in May beating Jeu De Paume (10-3) by 2l, 9 ran.
Elham Valley (FR) 40-1 (9-7) Prominent, gradually lost ground early and ridden in midfield halfway, some headway under pressure over 3f out, one pace soon after, 5th of 11, 17 1/2l behind Ben Lilly (9-0) at Redcar 1m 6f hcp (5) sft in Oct.
Hudson De Grugy (FR) (10-3) won at La Gacilly 1m 3f gd in Jul beating Histoire De Thaix (9-9), 5 ran.
Masterdream (FR) 22-1 (9-7) A little keen, waited with, soon towards rear, headway straight, kept on without threatening from under 2f out, 5th of 17, 6 3/4l behind Flor De La Luna (9-2) at Curragh 1m 4f mdn sft in Oct.
Phoenix Aquilus (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Towards rear, not fluent 2nd, headway before 3 out, ridden before 2 out, driven into 2nd before last, kept on but no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 12l behind Hell Red (10-12) at Chepstow 2m (4) gd in Oct.
Royaume Uni (IRE) (8-13) 5th of 7, 5 1/2l behind Dick Whittington (8-13) at Saint-Cloud 1m 4f stks gd in Jun.
The Worthy Brat (IRE) 17-2 (10-12) Held up, midfield 3rd, not fluent and ridden 5th, headway under pressure approaching 2 out, kept on without troubling leader from last, 3rd of 9, 6 3/4l behind Monmiral (11-4) at Exeter 2m 1f (4) sft in Nov.
Yggdrasil (FR) Kapgarde gelding out of Margerie.
