led 1st, headed 3rd, slow and rider lost iron briefly 4th, jumped left 5th, challenged 12th, soon ridden, led 2 out, held on
tracked leaders, going well 4 out, switched right before 2 out, ridden to close last, went 2nd flat, not reach winner
jumped left at times, led until slow 1st, not fluent 2nd, led and not fluent 3rd, not fluent 12th, driven after 4 out, headed 2 out, not fluent last, no extra in 3rd towards finish
NonRunner
It’s easy to pick holes in the Kempton form of Adjali but he is still preferred to the other previous chase winner Back On The Lash. They have to give 6lb, however, to two interesting recruits. Interconnected certainly has the scope to make a better chaser than hurdler but THE BULL MCCABE has already won a point-to-point and two hurdles so gets the nod to make a winning start over fences.
Back On The Lash 6-5fav (11-12) Led until not fluent 7th, led next, jumped left and not fluent 2 out, just ridden out hands and heels flat, held on, won at Ludlow 3m hcp (3) gs in May beating Landsman (11-2) by hd, 4 ran.
Interconnected 1-4fav (11-1) Held up in mid-division, raced keenly, not much room after 3 out, soon switched right and closed, went 2nd from 2 out, ridden to dispute lead when fell last, at Bangor-on-Dee 2m 7f mdn (4) gd in Apr.
The Bull Mccabe (IRE) Evens (11-6) Led, joined 3 out, ridden and headed after 2 out, jumped back into lead at last, went clear, won at Stratford 2m 6f (4) gd in Apr beating Jeremy Pass (11-6) by 6 1/2l, 2 ran.
Adjali (GER) 13-8fav (11-0) Chased leader, ridden along before 3 out, led approaching 2 out, ran on from last, won at Kempton 2m 4f (3) gd in May beating Golden Taipan (11-0) by 1 1/4l, 5 ran.
