tracked leader, led 8th, headed next, led 12th, pressed last, driven flat, stayed on gamely, in command close home
chased leaders on inside, closed after 10th, close up when fell 15th
chased leaders, not fluent and lost place 6th, closed after 10th, mistake and slightly hampered 15th, held in 3rd 3 out, weakened next
held up in rear, headway 11th, lost place next, not fluent 13th, well held 5th when mistake 4 out
held up towards rear, not fluent 6th, headway 8th, held in 4th 4 out, weakened before 2 out
tracked leaders, challenged 8th, led next, headed 12th, responded gamely to pressure and challenged last, held close home
led, reached at 3rd and hind legs landed in fence, pecked next, headed 8th, slow and lost place next, pulled up before 10th
always in rear, behind 11th, pulled up before 15th
NonRunner
NonRunner
Some old favourites face the starter here including Coneygree, winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2015 when still a novice. He made a fine return in the Punchestown Gold Cup in April but was beaten 15 lengths by CUE CARD in the Betfair Chase at Haydock around this time last year. Though now approaching the veteran stage, Colin Tizzard's stayer looked as good as ever when just beaten in the Betway Bowl at Aintree when last seen and easily beat Shantou Flyer in a Grade 1 at Ascot in February. He also holds Bristol De Mai on the form book. Definitly Red won the Rowland Meyrick here last season but doesn't look up to this level and was pulled up in Grand National in the spring in which Blaklion finished fourth and Vieux Lion Rouge finished sixth.
Bristol De Mai (FR) 9-2 (11-7) Led, headed and not fluent 4th, lost place before 8th, headway before 3 out, weakened from before last, 5th of 7, 24 3/4l behind Tea For Two (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gd in Apr.
Cue Card 2-1fav (11-7) Tracked leaders, led 13th, ridden before 2 out, headed before last, kept on and held towards finish, 2nd of 7, nk behind Tea For Two (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gd in Apr.
Definitly Red (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, badly hampered and rider lost irons 6th (bechers), soon not recover, pulled up before 9th (valentines), at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Shantou Flyer (IRE) 50-1 (11-5) Mid-division, hampered by loose horse 17th, weakened and pulled up before 4 out, at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Vieux Lion Rouge (FR) 12-1 (10-12) Mid-division, tracked leaders 11th, driven and outpaced before 2 out, no impression after, 6th of 40, 26 3/4l behind One For Arthur (10-11) at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Blaklion 8-1fav (11-1) Tracked leaders, went 2nd after 24th (2nd canal turn), led after 4 out, driven and headed before last, soon ridden, no impression with front pair flat, lost 3rd towards finish, 4th of 40, 8 3/4l behind One For Arthur (10-11) at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Coneygree 6-1 (11-10) Led, pushed along 4 out, ridden and strongly pressed when mistake 2 out, soon headed and dropped to 3rd, kept on in 3rd run-in, 3rd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Sizing John (11-10) at Punchestown 3m 1f (1) Good - Yielding in Apr.
Village Vic (IRE) 11-2 (11-12) Led, dived at 2nd, headed approaching next, chased leaders, fell 7th, at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Double Shuffle (IRE) 7-1 (11-5) Chased leaders, 2nd at 3rd, pushed along before 4 out, lost 2nd before 3 out, 2nd again at the last, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 7l behind Romain De Senam (10-1) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Virgilio (FR) 9-4fav (11-12) Held up towards rear, not fluent 6th, headway on outside 4 out, challenged next, led 2 out, ridden clear last, stayed on, won at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in May beating Minellacelebration (11-8) by 7l, 10 ran.
