held up in last pair, not fluent 1st, headway in 4th when hit 5th, went 2nd 3 out until ridden between last 2, chased leading pair until weakened last
tracked leading pair, went 2nd 4th, pushed along after 4 out, led 3 out, driven and stayed on gamely run-in
tracked leading trio until 5th, effort and squeezed through soon after 3 out, stayed on to 3rd at the last, kept on same pace run-in
led until headed and weakened rapidly 3 out, tailed off
held up in rear, jumped slowly 3rd, steady headway before 3 out, 3rd 3 out, chased winner between last 2, switched right approaching last, driven and kept on run in, always held
tracked leader until dived at 4th, tracked leading pair until 3 out, squeezed out soon after, stayed on same pace in 4th from 2 out
Wings Of Smoke was only beaten a couple of lengths at Haydock last time but is 2lb higher here. Lasy year's winner GREYWELL BOY was beaten eight lengths when second at Warwick but the drop back to 2m is in his favour and he's back on the same mark as when narrowly beaten at Ascot last April. Nick Williams' charge looks the one to beat, though Sands Cove has claims on past form and preferred to Evan Williams' pair Train Of Thought and Bullet Street. Coolbeg is much better off at the weights than when third to the selection last year but has been a bit disappointing this season.
Wings Of Smoke (IRE) 11-1 (11-9) Held up, headway halfway, led 5 out, strongly challenged 2 out, jumped left last, soon headed, no extra flat, 2nd of 6, 2l behind Granville Island (11-7) at Haydock 2m hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Dec.
Greywell Boy 9-1 (10-0) Held up towards rear, pushed along before 7 out, headway before 6 out, chased winner run-in, no impression, 2nd of 6, 8l behind Persian Snow (10-8) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp chs 0-150 (2) sft in Feb.
Sands Cove (IRE) 8-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders, challenged 4th, lost place after 4 out, weakened before next, 4th of 6, 42l behind Tornado In Milan (10-13) at Taunton 2m nov hcp chs (0-125) (3) hvy in Jan.
Train Of Thought (IRE) 50-1 (11-3) Prominent on inside, lost place when not fluent 3rd, well behind before 3 out, soon pulled up, in a race won by Waterunder (11-12) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Nov, 10 ran.
Bullet Street (IRE) 2-1fav (10-11) In touch in 4th, jumped left 3 out, ridden next, kept on and no impression, 3rd of 7, 9l behind Workbench (10-9) at Taunton 2m nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Nov.
Coolbeg (IRE) 12-1 (10-13) Tracked leaders, not fluent 1st or 4th, one pace before 3 out, weakened flat, 3rd of 7, 16l behind Al Alfa (11-12) at Taunton 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy in Jan.
