disputed lead until 5th, chased leader, blundered 7th and next, reminder and lost 2nd 15th, soon behind, tailed off
held up in touch and pushed along at times, headway to chase leaders 16th, reminders soon after, went 2nd after 18th, led narrowly 3 out, clear before last, stayed on strongly
not fluent 1st, raced wide chasing leaders, slightly lost place 8th, weakened 15th, behind when not fluent 17th, tailed off
disputed lead until 5th, chased leaders, went 2nd 15th led 18th, narrowly headed 3 out, readily held before last
held up in last pair, mistake 14th (water), headway 17th, went 3rd after 4 out, ridden and no impression before next
took keen hold, soon tracking leaders, mistake 6th, chased leader until led 15th, headed 18th, chased leader until before next, weakened, poor 5th when fell 2 out
chased leaders, lost place 15th, rallied to modest 4th before 3 out
held up in rear, no chance from 18th, left poor 5th 2 out
Both Reach For The Top and Upham Atom ended last season with victories. The former has been raised 8lb for his Kempton win and the latter makes more appeal having scoring over C&D in April. MINELLA STARS has a fitness advantage over both after scoring at Newton Abbot last month and still looks on a winning mark despite a 5lb rise. Only Witness has struggled since scoring at Huntingdon in February and Rey Nacarado makes more appeal than Fortification as the latter has yet to win off a mark as high as today.
Fortification (USA) 14-1 (10-6) Slowly away, always towards rear, struggling 17th, pulled up before 27th, in a race won by Balthazar King (10-9) at Cheltenham 3m 7f hcp chs (2) gd in Mar, 16 ran.
Any Currency (IRE) 5-1 (11-0) Held up in touch, pushed along after 9th, weakened from 5 out, 6th of 10, 39l behind Garleton (11-9) at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs (2) gd in May.
Air Force One (GER) 11-2 (11-12) Tracked leaders, mistake 10th, effort 2 out, 2 lengths down in 3rd when left 2nd last, ridden and stayed on to lead flat, won at Doncaster 3m 2f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Dec beating Beneficial Reform (11-8) by 2 1/4l, 9 ran.
Only Witness (IRE) 9-2 (10-10) Disputed lead, not fluent 6th, led after next, ridden and headed approaching 2 out, soon weakened, tailed off, 3rd of 5, 44l behind Mavalenta (11-1) at Fontwell 3m 3f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) gs.
Rey Nacarado (IRE) 4-1 (11-10) Held up in rear, went poor 3rd from 3 out, never dangerous, 4th of 6, 36l behind Chamirey (11-0) at Sedgefield 3m 6f hcp chs 0-140 (3) sft in Apr.
Reach For The Top (IRE) 12-1 (11-12) Keen made all, ridden 3 out, not fluent last, stayed on, won at Kempton 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Mar beating Suburban Bay (11-9) by 4 1/2l, 9 ran.
Minella Stars (IRE) 5-6fav (10-11) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 10th until 12th and again before 14th, led 16th, 6 lengths ahead 2 out, ridden before last, idled badly flat, just held on, won at Newton Abbot 3m 2f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Sep beating Mostly Bob (11-7) by shd, 4 ran.
Upham Atom 13-8fav (11-0) Tracked leader to 4th, held up in 3rd, regained 2nd 13th, upsides when blundered and lost place 18th, switched outside to challenge 3 out, ridden between last 2, led narrowly last, held on under pressure flat, won at Wincanton 3m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gf in Apr beating Earth Planet (10-8) by 1/2l, 4 ran.
