held up, headway after 15th, outpaced 4 out, weakened before last
held up towards rear, jumped left, not fluent 10th, blundered badly 14th, soon weakened, pulled up after next
led, jumped slowly 2nd and 3rd, headed before 4 out, not fluent 2 out, weakened last
prominent, outpaced 14th, no extra 3 out
held up in rear, headway 4 out, went 3rd after 2 out, stayed on flat, no impression on winner
took keen hold, prominent, led before 4 out, clear 3 out until idled before last, pulled out extra and stayed on well to assert flat
held up, headway after 15th, ridden after 3 out, went 2nd from next, no impression on winner flat, stayed on
Menorah took advantage of a below-par run from Silviniaco Conti to land this last year. He went on to finished ahead of DYNASTE and Cue Card in the Betfair Chase at Haydock but then finished well behind that pair in the King George at Kempton in December and has to concede 10lb to both today. David Pipe’s grey looks the pick of the weights on that evidence and he also enjoys a big turnaround with Many Clouds than when beaten a length-and-a-half by Oliver Sherwood’s Grand National winner in the BetBright Cup at Cheltenham in January. The selection’s stablemate Ballynagour has plenty of ability but is hard to predict but Holywell could go close if in the mood and makes more appeal than out-and-out stayer Sam Winner.
Many Clouds (IRE) 25-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders on inside, headway when left in lead 5 out, ridden after 2 out, 3 lengths clear approaching elbow, held on towards finish, won at Aintree 4m 3f hcp (1) gs in Apr beating Saint Are (10-6) by 1 3/4l, 39 ran.
Menorah (IRE) 11-4fav (11-10) Held up towards rear, not fluent 10th, hit 16th, headway before 3 out, chased leaders 3 out, 2nd before 2 out, led last, driven and stayed on gamely run-in, won at Sandown 2m 6f lst (1) gd in Apr beating Al Ferof (11-10) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
Sam Winner (FR) 12-1 (11-12) Towards rear, reminders after 4th, pulled up after 8th, at Ayr 4m hcp (1) gd in Apr.
Holywell (IRE) 5-2fav (11-7) Tracked winner, pushed along before 4 out, driven after 2 out, lost 1 length 2nd last, stayed on, no extra final 75 yards, 3rd of 7, 2 1/4l behind Silviniaco Conti (11-7) at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Ballynagour (IRE) 6-1fav (10-10) 5th of 15, 15 3/4l behind Un Temps Pour Tout (10-10) at Auteuil 3m 1f hvy in Jun.
Cue Card 12-1 (11-10) Settled mid-division, 5th halfway, slight mistake 6 out, ridden in 4th entering straight, no impression 2 out, kept on one pace, 4th of 8, 15 1/2l behind Don Cossack (11-10) at Punchestown 3m 1f (1) Good - Yielding in Apr.
Dynaste (FR) 9-2fav (10-5) 9th of 13, 9 1/2l behind Saint Firmin (10-10) at Auteuil 2m 3f sft in Oct.
