raced wide in touch, blundered 2nd, mistake and lost place 14th, behind from 18th, pulled up before 5 out
led to 7th, with leader, driven 17th, lost place after 5 out, soon ridden and weakened, tailed off
tracked leaders, in touch when hit 4 out, outpaced in 5th when mistake next, soon ridden, weakened 2 out
held up towards rear on inside, fell 14th
held up behind, steady headway on inside 18th, tracked leaders 4 out, challenged on inside between last 2, led when hit last, ridden out flat
soon towards rear, struggling, 12th, ridden and plugged on to take remote 4th last, no chance with leaders
mid-division, dropped towards rear 9th, struggling 14th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out
held up behind, mistake 14th, some headway into mid-division 5 out, weakened next, tailed off
tracked leaders, driven and outpaced after 5 out, weakened next
in touch, led 7th, ridden and hard pressed after 2 out, headed last, 3rd and weakened flat
mid-division, outpaced 5 out, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before last
towards rear, struggling 17th, tailed off when pulled 5 out
mid-division, tracked leaders 5 out, challenged after next, ridden and every chance after 2 out, kept on, held in clear 2nd flat
chased leaders to 16th, behind from 19th, weakened 5 out, tailed off when pulled up 2 out
tracked leaders, ridden and effort on outside 4 out, soon ridden, weakened from next, lost remote 4th last
tracked leaders, hit and lost place 11th, soon behind, tailed off when pulled up 5 out
Nonrunner
Having trained the winner of this three times in a row, anything saddled by David Pipe clearly has to be respected. Junior doesn't hold any secrets from the handicapper but Goulanes won a Grade 2 last season and is reasonably handicapped if anywhere near his best. Wyck Hill stayed on dourly to land the Eider over this trip at Newcastle last month but is 8lb higher here. Summery Justice only won a veteran's chase at Newbury two weeks ago and Fill The Power, Bradley and Alpha Victor are also recent winners but half of this field will have to carry more than their allotted weight because of the inclusion of HARRY TOPPER. Kim Bailey didn't consider the ground to be soft enough for his charge to contest the Gold Cup but can have no complaints about the going here. The seven-year-old galloped through the mud to win the Denman at Newbury last month and also won the Charlie Hall at Wetherby in the autumn. He may have the class to defy his big weight, though Willie Mullins' Punchestown third Are Ya Right Chief has to be respected.
Harry Topper 7-2 (11-10) Tracked leader until 5th, tracked leading pair, reminder after 6th, went 2nd again 9th, led after 12th (3 out), came clear on long run to next, kept up to work flat until eased towards finish, won at Newbury 3m chs Grd 2 (1) hvy in Feb beating Al Ferof (11-10) by 25l, 5 ran.
Junior 16-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, ridden and weakened before 6 out, 8th of 16, 33l behind Wyck Hill (11-0) at Newcastle 4m 1f hcp chs 0-150 (2) hvy in Feb.
Wyck Hill (IRE) 9-1 (11-0) Chased leaders in 5th, led 17th, riden before last, kept on well towards finish, won at Newcastle 4m 1f hcp chs 0-150 (2) hvy in Feb beating Smoking Aces (9-12) by 3/4l, 16 ran.
Pete The Feat (IRE) 6-1 (11-3) Tracking leaders, hit 9th, blundered and unseated rider 12th, in a race won by Summery Justice (10-4) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs 0-150 (2) hvy, 7 ran.
Goulanes (IRE) 20-1 (10-6) Held up, weakened approaching 5 out, pulled up after 4 out, in a race won by Mountainous (10-0) at Chepstow 3m 5f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) hvy in Dec, 20 ran.
Summery Justice (IRE) 9-2 (10-4) Held up, reminders after 10th (water), left 3rd at 12th, driven along and went 6 lengths 2nd before 3 out (normal 4 out), closed bypassing omitted 3 out, ridden to lead before last, stayed on strongly run in, won at Newbury 3m 2f hcp chs 0-150 (2) hvy beating Burton Port (11-3) by 7l, 7 ran.
Emperor's Choice (IRE) 11-2 (10-8) Mid-division, headway before 4 out, went 3rd before 2 out, well held when left 2nd last, no chance with winner, 2nd of 14, 10l behind Rigadin De Beauchene (10-5) at Haydock 3m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) hvy in Feb.
Sun Cloud (IRE) 11-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, headway 11th, fell 15th, in a race won by Wyck Hill (11-0) at Newcastle 4m 1f hcp chs 0-150 (2) hvy in Feb, 16 ran.
Fill The Power (IRE) 2-1fav (11-12) Made all, clear before last, stayed on strongly, won at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs 0-140 (3) hvy in Feb beating Harris Hawk (10-11) by 18l, 4 ran.
West End Rocker (IRE) 18-1 (11-7) Tracked leaders in 3rd, led 11th, headed 7 out, in 2nd when hit 4 out, kept on from 2 out, 3rd of 10, 3 1/2l behind Monkerty Tunkerty (10-11) at Doncaster 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Feb '13.
Bradley 10-3 (11-9) Tended to jump right, chased leaders, went 2nd 4th, led 10th, made rest, hit 15th, went badly right 3 out, pressed approaching next, driven and stayed on gamely run-in, won at Sandown 3m am chs 0-130 (3) sft beating Le Reve (11-9) by 2 3/4l, 9 ran.
Are Ya Right Chief (IRE) 16-1 (9-10) Mid-division, ridden into 7th 2 out, 4th entering straight, no impression in 3rd before last where mistake, kept on same pace, 3rd of 18, 6l behind Folsom Blue (10-1) at Punchestown 3m 4f Handicap Chase (Grade C) (5yo+) hvy in Feb.
Alpha Victor (IRE) 25-1 (11-7) Close up, pushed along 8th, headway to lead 3 out, stayed on strongly flat, won at Bangor 3m hcp hdl 0-130 (3) hvy in Feb beating Jaunty Journey (10-0) by 11l, 6 ran.
Alfie Spinner (IRE) 7-1 (10-7) Tracked clear leader until after 10th, weakened before 5 out, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Emperor's Choice (10-5) at Ffos Las 3m 4f hcp chs (2) hvy in Feb, 12 ran.
Red Rocco (IRE) 16-1 (10-4) Led to 10th, led again 13th, headed 14th, regained lead 4 out, headed 3 out, well held in 2nd when blundered and unseated rider last, in a race won by Rigadin De Beauchene (10-5) at Haydock 3m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) hvy in Feb, 14 ran.
Loch Ba (IRE) 15-2 (10-7) Towards rear, reminders 4th, pushed along before 13th, plugged on from 3 out, went 3rd run-in, never dangerous, 3rd of 14, 40l behind Rigadin De Beauchene (10-5) at Haydock 3m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) hvy in Feb.
Reblis (FR) 5-1 (10-13) Mid-division, pushed along before 11th, ridden 4 out, went 3rd 3 out, led before last, kept on well, won at Plumpton 3m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Jan beating Smoking Aces (11-5) by 4 1/2l, 9 ran.
Firebird Flyer (IRE) 7-2 (10-12) In touch on inside, tracked leaders 5 out, challenged between horses 3 out, led approaching last, ridden and kept on flat, won at Ludlow 3m hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft in Feb beating Forgotten Gold (11-12) by 2 1/4l, 8 ran.