mistake 1st, headway to chase leaders 3rd, 4th when not fluent 4 out, weakened before 2 out, tailed off
tracked leaders, 3rd and outpaced 3 out, weakened after next, tailed off
soon towards rear, not fluent 1st, struggling 7th, modest 6th 4 out, well beaten when blundered badly 2 out, tailed off
always behind, well tailed off 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
mid-division on outside, not fluent 1st, bumped 3rd, lost place when mistake next, given reminders, well behind 13th, tailed off
tracked leaders, 2nd from 6th, not fluent 3 out, led before last, clear flat, stayed on well
mid-division, 5th and in touch before 2 out, well held by leaders 2 out, went 3rd before last
mid-division, bumped 3rd, soon lost place, mistake next and 8th, behind 13th, hampered 2 out, went remote 4th latter stages
prominent until 7th, soon behind, tailed off
led, ridden after 2 out, headed before last, no impression on winner, stayed on same pace
withdrawn
Decade Player bids for back-to-back victories in this and, on collateral form, has a similar chance to easy Cheltenham scorer Are They Your Own. Vide Cave was well beaten last year so is harder to fancy while Strongpoint has been looking a light of former days. DARWINS FOX has won over this trip at Fontwell and Leicester this year and ran well in the Foxhunters’ at Aintree in between. If he is still at the top of his game, the Irish raider is the one to beat.
Darwins Fox (FR) 2-5fav (12-4) Took keen hold, tracked leaders, led 4th and settled better in front, not fluent and headed 4 out, led again before last, clear towards finish, won at Fontwell 2m 1f (6) sft in May beating Can Mestret (12-0) by 4 1/2l, 4 ran.
Decade Player (IRE) 9-1 (12-6) Jumped right at times, set strong gallop and went clear after 2nd, mistake 7th, reduced lead 9th, headed 11th, weakened 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, at Southwell 2m 4f (6) gd in Apr.
Ballet Marbleless 25-1 (12-0) (v) (tt) led to 7; wknd qckly aft 12; pu aft nxt, at Trecoed 3m mdn in Jun.
Carters Rest 10-1 (12-0) Chsd ldrs til outpcd aft 4 out; went 2nd last; nt rch wnr, 2nd of 6, 1 3/4l behind Lough Inch (12-0) at Hexham 2m 4f in May.
Churchfield Champ (IRE) 4-6fav (12-0) (tt) chsd wnr 10; wknd 2 out; pu last, at Holnicote 3m gf in May.
Numbercruncher (IRE) 5-1 (12-5) Led 5 til hdd 2 out; no ex, 3rd of 5, 17l behind Tinkers Hill Tommy (12-5) at Chaddesley Corbett 3m gf in May.
Ring Ben (IRE) 6-4fav (12-0) (tt) gd hdwy 9; went 2nd nxt; ev ch 3 out; wknd app last, 3rd of 9, 12 3/4l behind Double Handful (12-0) at Garthorpe 2m 4f gd in May.
Strongpoint (IRE) 5-2 (12-0) Led to 7; ev ch til wknd qckly app 3 out; t.o & pu nxt, at Hexham 2m 4f in May.
Vide Cave (FR) 6-1 (11-9) A bhnd; t.o 11, 3rd of 4, dist behind Horizontal Speed (11-9) at Kingston Blount 2m 5f gd in May.
Exclusive Rights 7-2 (11-7) Hdwy 5; wknd 12; wl bhnd when pu last, at Kingston Blount 3m gd in May.
Are They Your Own (IRE) 7-4fav (11-10) Prominent, led after 4th, hit 8th, clear 2 out, stayed on strongly, won at Cheltenham 2m (5) gd in May beating Sam Cavallaro (11-13) by 26l, 12 ran.
