chased leaders, not fluent 8th, mistake 10th, soon lost place, mistake 11th, rallied before 3 out, beaten 2 out, stayed on one pace
held up in rear, mistake 8th, well beaten 12th, pulled up before 3 out
not always fluent, held up in 5th, closed 7th, hit 12th, went 2nd after 4 out, challenging when swerved left before last, led flat, driven out
chased leader until 4th, went 2nd after 6th until after 4 out, weakened before 3 out
held up in rear, headway 10th, not fluent 12th, weakened 3 out
slowly into stride, chased leaders, went 2nd when no fluent 4th, lost 2nd after 6th, soon lost place, behind when pulled up after 9th
led, pressed when swerved left before mistake last, soon headed, rallied, just held
Lil Rockerfeller, partnered by Bryony Frost, is the star turn on today’s card. But the classy hurdler faces no easy task under top weight, despite a recent pipe-opener on the Flat. ROYAL VILLAGE travelled strongly for a long way in last month’s Summer Plate at Market Rasen and races off the same mark so gets the nod, though the returning Art Of Payroll is worth a market check and Too Many Diamonds will be all the better for a spin over hurdles at Aintree and is already a three-times course and distance winner. Northern Beau and Irish raider Mighty Stowaway probably have a bit to find in this company.
Lil Rockerfeller (USA) 4-1fav (9-4) Headway chasing leaders 12f out, went 2nd 5f out, ridden 3f out, lost 2nd weakened, 6th of 19, 5 1/4l behind Timoshenko (8-0) at Goodwood 2m 5f hcp (2) gd in Jul.
Art Of Payroll (GER) 20-1 (10-6) Held up towards rear, headway on outside 3 out, went 2nd 2 out, led before last, edged left flat, headed towards finish, 2nd of 16, 1 1/2l behind Traffic Fluide (10-4) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) gd in Apr.
Royal Village (IRE) 9-1 (11-0) Mid-division, headway 4 out, chased leaders next, ridden into 2nd 2 out, kept on well, no chance with winner, 2nd of 14, 8l behind Casablanca Mix (11-6) at Market Rasen 2m 5f hcp lst (1) gs in Jul.
Mighty Stowaway (IRE) 12-1 (11-7) Chased leader, headway to lead after 5th, headed after 6th, lost place before 8th, soon under pressure, weakened 3 out, 7th of 13, dist behind All The Answers (11-6) at Galway 2m 2f hcp sft in Aug.
Too Many Diamonds (IRE) 11-1 (11-12) Chased leader until 4th, ridden when not fluent last, one pace and no impression, last of 5, 5l behind Nayati (11-12) at Aintree 2m hcp (3) gs in Jun.
Northern Beau (IRE) 6-1 (11-11) Prominent, led 4th, joined 9th, headed after 4 out, led again before next, challenged 2 out, stayed on well, won at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp (4) gd in Aug beating Land League (10-13) by 1 1/2l, 7 ran.
Overtoujay 6-1 (11-6) With leader, went left 1st, bumped next, led 4th, in command from 2 out, stayed on, won at Southwell 2m hcp (4) gd in Jul beating Little Stevie (11-0) by 2 1/2l, 9 ran.
