held up, headway approaching 9th, ridden to lead 2 out, edged left flat, headed and no extra final 100 yards
held up in touch, outpaced after 9th, headway after 3 out, weakened last
held up, headway after 9th, ridden and weakened after 2 out
held up in touch, every chance when tried to refuse and unseated rider on landing 3 out
prominent when mistake 1st, jumped slowly 2nd, lost place 3rd, headway after 3 out, not trouble leaders
held up, ridden and headway approaching 3 out, stayed on flat to lead final 100 yards
chased leaders, mistake 1st, weakened approaching 9th
took keen hold in rear, headway approaching 9th, weakened approaching 3 out
chased leader, led after 9th, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened flat
mid-division, blundered 9th, soon weakened, tailed off
led, headed approaching 4th, led again approaching 8th, headed after 9th, weakened approaching 2 out
took keen hold, prominent, led approaching 4th, clear 6th until 7th, headed approaching 8th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
A three-mile seller...well, here goes: shortlisted are Cool Dante, Wild Tempo and Greatest By Phar, with the vote going to Cool Dante. Cool Dante has the advantage of coming here fit and having shown recent form from around today's mark. As such, he gets the vote. Ditto Wild Tempo, who gets a lot of respect from the Martin Pipe yard. Dropping to this grade for the first time, Greatest By Phar, who has shown some promise, could go well. Back to last October's winning mark, Diamond Joshua showed enough last time over fences to suggest he can play a part in today's proceedings. Audiostreetdotcom is another to be on a good mark judged on a year ago, A three-mile novice handicap chase winner here from around today's mark, Illiney Lad can go well at this level, while Anflora's third to Nick The Silver in a Hereford claimer in January brings him firmly into things. Of the others, nine-time all-weather winner Broughton Knows has yet to set the world alight over hurdles, the 14-year-old Southerncrosspatch is very well-weighted based on 2004 form but, of course, has not been so good of late, while Shabaan has shown little in three hurdling starts but this Wolverhampton Flat winner is another to be dropping to this grade and stepping up to this trip for the first time. Finally, it would be no surprise to see the Evan Williams-trained Jeune Premier improve for a jump up to three miles, although the same stable also runs the first-time blinkered Son Of Flighty, who has enough form to be considered too. However, it seems a long shot overall, with the vote remaining with Cool Dante.
Wild Tempo (FR) 13-2 (11-2) Held up, headway 7th, one pace from 2 out, 5th of 15, 9l behind Potts of Magic (11-0) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-100 (F) gf in Sept.
Cool Dante (IRE) 11-2 (11-2) Held up in touch, slightly outpaced after 3 out, kept on, 3rd of 12, 2 1/2l behind Coppermalt (10-9) at Stratford 2m 6f cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (G) gd in Sept.
Greatest By Phar 12-1 (11-8) Mid-division, ridden when mistake 3 out, no impression, 8th of 14, 15l behind Master Nimbus (10-13) at Uttoxeter 2m nov hcp hdl 0-95 (F) gf in Sept.
Audiostreetdotcom 14-1 (11-5) Mid-division, headway after 7th, with leader to 8th, close 4th when saddle slipped and unseated rider 3 out in race won by Mags Two (10-1) at Huntingdon 3m 2f hcp hdl 0-90 (F) gf in Sept, 17 ran.
Diamond Joshua (IRE) 20-1 (10-11) Prominent, lost place 4th, mistake 10th, stayed on same pace to go 3rd close home, 3rd of 9, 29l behind Detonateur (11-0) at Fontwell 2m 4f beg chs (D) gd.
Son of Flighty 13-2 (10-8) Led, driven and headed 3 out, soon ridden, weakened approaching last, 5th of 10, 24l behind Green 'n' Gold (11-7) at Cartmel 2m 6f cnd sll hcp hdl (G) gd in Aug.
Anflora 8-1 (11-0) In touch, hampered 2nd, reminders and headway approaching 9th, ridden and every chance 2 out, weakened approaching last, 3rd of 11, 12l behind Nick The Silver (11-3) at Hereford 3m 2f nov clm hdl (F) sft in Jan.
Jeune Premier (FR) 5-1 (10-6) Led at fast pace, mistake and headed 5th, weakened quickly and pulled up in race won by Sheer Guts (11-7) at Fontwell 2m 2f sll hcp chs 0-90 (G) gf in Sept, 12 ran.
