in touch, challenged approaching 11th until 4 out, led 2nd 2 out, stayed on same pace flat
in touch, reminders after 6th, struggling to hold position when not fluent 8th, soon weakened, pulled up after 11th
tended to jumped right, held up towards rear, headway 7th, left 3rd 2 out, stayed on towards finish
in touch, blundered 6th, weakened approaching 4 out, tailed off
in touch, ridden after 11th, weakened approaching 4 out
mid-division, mistake 2nd, headway 10th, went 2nd before 3 out, challenging when left in lead 2 out, driven out
led to 7th, led 11th, slight advatage when fell 2 out
pressed leader, led 7th to 11th, weakened approaching 4 out
held up in rear, not fluent 9th, headway 11th, hampered 2 out, no impression
in rear, not fluent 7th, behind 10th, pulled up after next
Free Gift showed improved form during the summer but has paid the penalty at the hands of the handicapper for his successes here and at Bangor and he now looks too high in the weights with a safer option looking to be the reappearing WILLIAM BONNEY, who gets the vote ahead of Super Formen. The last mentioned is bound to be popular with backers being trained by Paul Nicholls but the five-year-old struggled in two starts in handicaps following his win in a beginners' chase at Taunton in February and he may need some help from the handicapper. Sue Smith's Flake seems to be too high in the weights and of more interest may be Celtic Boy, who has run to a decent level of form in recent starts. Gordon Elliott's Bauhaus has claims but has shot up in the weights, while Kew Jumper got no further than the first fence before unseating his rider when last seen in April. The vote then goes the way of Charlie Mann's William Bonney, who showed improved form over fences towards the end of last season with two wins at Ludlow and he looks worth chancing on his reappearance off what seems a fair mark.
Super Formen (FR) 4-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, dropped rear approaching 5th, not fluent 8th, well beaten 3 out, 5th of 6, 16l behind Oiseau de Nuit (10-9) at Cheltenham 2m cnd hcp chs (0-135) (3) gs in Apr.
Celtic Boy (IRE) 5-1fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, jumped right and bumped 4th, close 3rd when badly hampered 2 out, stayed on flat, 3rd of 10, 1 1/4l behind Gaelic Flight (11-2) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Sep.
William Bonney (IRE) 13-8fav (11-4) Tracked leaders, mistake 7th, went 2nd 4 out, led 2 out, in command last, pushed out, comfortably, won at Ludlow 2m nov stks (3) gd in Apr beating Mungo Jerry (10-5) by 4l, 7 ran.
Free Gift 5-1 (10-7) Led until 6th, remained prominent, led again 9th, headed approaching 2 out, stayed on same pace under pressure, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Commemoration Day (11-1) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gf.
Flake 7-1 (11-0) Chased leader until approaching 7th, outpaced approaching 3 out, stayed on to take 3rd flat, 3rd of 11, 7l behind Gaelic Flight (10-12) at Southwell 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in May.
Kew Jumper (IRE) 9-4fav (11-5) Badly hampered and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Tyup Pompey (10-1) at Ludlow 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Apr, 9 ran.
Kaldouas (FR) 10-1 (11-2) Raced in last pair, not fluent and reminders 11th, well beaten next, tailed off, 8th of 9, well behind Tempsford (10-12) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd.
Its Crucial (IRE) 8-1 (10-13) Mid-division, weakened after 11th, behind when pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Native Coral (11-3) at Perth 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd in Apr, 13 ran.
Livingonaknifedge (IRE) 6-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, headway 2 out, went 2nd after last, weakened approaching elbow, 3rd of 10, 11l behind Reel Charmer (11-1) at Cartmel 2m 5f hcp chs 0-120 (3) hvy in Aug.
The Boxer Roche (IRE) 20-1 (10-10) Always towards rear, trailing 4 out, pulled up before next, in a race won by Shanballa (10-4) at Killarney 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-116 gs in May, 18 ran.
Oneway (IRE) 100-1 (10-2) Towards rear, never dangerous, 9th of 29, 44l behind Irish Raptor (10-0) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs (2) gd in Apr.
Bauhaus (IRE) 11-1 (10-5) Always prominent, mistake 3 out, 4th and kept on same pace under pressure from next, 4th of 16, 7l behind O'Muircheartaigh (11-3) at Gowran Park 3m hcp chs 0-123 gf.
Manmoon (FR) 12-1 (11-9) Prominent, mistake 2nd, led 5th, headed 10th, lost place 4 out, 10th of 13, 39l behind Nostringsattached (11-6) at Ffos Las 2m 5f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Jun.
