mid-division, headway on outside after 4th, chased winner after 3 out to next, soon ridden and weakened
led after 1st, made rest, ridden and stayed on strongly from last
led to after 1st, chased winner until lost place after 3 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace, no impression
held up in rear, headway approaching 2 out, ridden and one pace approaching last
held up, headway after 3 out, chased winner next, ridden and kept on same pace, no impression
mid-division, chased leaders 3 out, ridden after next, no impression
chased leaders, lost place after 3 out, soon tailed off, virtually pulled up flat
William Bonney has his act together well and is fancied to defy the 10lb rise in the weights he received for his smooth success at Cheltenham 12 days ago, Torkingking will be a serious rival if he is on song, while Etoile Russe and Magic Sky are expected to spearhead the challenge from the remainder. Magic Sky - a former inmate of Paul Nicholls - has settled into his new surroundings and seems to have thrived for the switch to Milton Harris. The seven-year-old does have improvement to find but is a lively outsider to consider on these terms. Etoile Russe ran a blinder when fourth in a Listed race at Sandown last month and would give them all something to think about if posting a similar effort. However, his jumping went to pieces here last time out and he is another that has something to prove. Torkingking is a likely candidate for setting a strong tempo and, as he easily holds Through The Rye from their encounter at Hexham, he is confidently expected to dispose of that rival again. Testing ground is not a problem for the Maurice Barnes-trained gelding and he is sure to be a popular choice. Even so, there was plenty to like about the way William Bonney picked off his rivals at Prestbury Park and his sucker punch is going to be hard to stand up to again today.
Astronomic 100-1 (11-7) Mid-division, ridden and effort after 3 out, weakened 2 out, 12th of 20, 24l behind Acambo (11-9) at Ascot 2m lst hcp hdl (1) gs in Dec.
Torkinking (IRE) 5-2 (11-8) Led, ridden, headed last, weakened flat, 3rd of 5, 11l behind Overserved (10-4) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) hvy.
Through The Rye 20-1 (11-12) With leader, led 8th to 9th, weakened quickly, tailed off when pulled up 4 out in race won by Allistathebarrista (10-7) at Wetherby 2m 7f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) sft in Dec, 11 ran.
William Bonney (IRE) 11-2 (11-6) Held up in rear, smooth headway approaching 2 out, chased leader well before last, led early flat, stayed on well, driven out, won at Cheltenham 2m 1f nov hcp hdl (3) hvy beating Thenford Flyer (11-0) by 4l, 9 ran.
Magic Sky (FR) 28-1 (11-7) Behind, headway after 5th, ridden approaching 2 out, one pace flat, 3rd of 11, 6l behind Nikola (11-7) at Leicester 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) sft in Dec.
Karathaena (IRE) 16-1 (11-5) Held up in touch, ridden and outpaced after 4 out, stayed on approaching last, 3rd of 7, 9l behind The Kop End (11-9) at Haydock 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (3) hvy in Dec.
Etoile Russe (IRE) 5-2jt-fav (11-5) Led, blundered 4 out, headed approaching 3 out, soon weakened, 5th of 8, 50l behind Smoothly Does It (10-0) at Wetherby 2m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) sft in Dec.
