chased leaders, went 2nd 8th, pushed along and tried to close 2 out, driven before last, mistake last, stayed on under pressure run in, always held
led until 3rd, chased winner, hit 4th and next, lost 2nd approaching 6th, chased leaders, weakened 9th
chased leaders, went 2nd approaching 6th until 8th, chased leaders, weakened before 3 out, went left next
chased leaders, not fluent 2nd, fell next
not fluent, blundered 1st, held up in rear, mistake 7th, headway 8th, chased leading pair before 3 out, no impression before next, blundered last, soon dropped to 4th
held up in last trio, badly hampered and almost carried off the course 6th, not recover, tailed off 9th soon pulled up
chased leaders on outside, pushed along after 4 out, outpaced approaching 2 out, modest 3rd after the last, no chance with leading duo
chased leader, led 3rd, clear 6th until 8th, ridden between last two, driven and stayed on run in, held on gamely, all out
held up in last trio, modest 5th after 3 out, never on terms
There will be no hanging around here as neither Next Sensation nor Poole Master take any prisoners. There is nothing between the former and Claret Cloak on their run together in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham in March however. MANYRIVERSTOCROSS (NAP) likes it here and beat another course and distance winner, Bellenos, at the track on good ground in March. The pair meet on identical terms so there shouldn't be much between them again but Alan King's charge, who usually comes with a late rattle, can grab the verdict. One Term is unbeaten over fences but hasn't raced in more than a year and this could be too tough for Christopher Wren, Ulck Du Lin and Stone Light.
Claret Cloak (IRE) 6-1 (11-8) Held up in last, mistake 9th, blundered 11th, soon pushed along, mistake and well beaten from 3 out, 10th of 11, 31l behind Johns Spirit (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs (2) gs in Oct.
Next Sensation (IRE) 6-1 (11-4) Raced freely, led, not fluent 8th, headed 3 out, weakened approaching last, 5th of 7, 15l behind Balder Succes (11-4) at Aintree 2m nov chs G1 (1) gd in Apr.
Manyriverstocross (IRE) 3-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, led 5 out, headed 4 out, weakened before 3 out, 5th of 7, 27l behind Le Bacardy (10-1) at Ayr 2m lstd hcp chs (1) gs in Apr.
Poole Master 9-1 (10-10) Held up mid-division, weakened before 5 out, 8th of 12, 29l behind Grey Gold (11-8) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs (2) sft in Oct.
Bellenos (FR) 4-6fav (11-5) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd 7th, challenged 2 out, led approaching last, shaken up and came clear flat, comfortably, won at Stratford 2m 1f nov chs (4) gd in Apr beating Witness In Court (11-5) by 3 1/2l, 4 ran.
One Term (IRE) 2-1 (11-7) Made all, not fluent 1st, ridden 3 out, not fluent last, stayed on gamely, won at Worcester 2m nov chs (4) gd in Sep '13 beating The Cockney Mackem (11-11) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
Christopher Wren (USA) 16-1 (11-0) Held up in rear, headway after 14th, went 2nd 2 out, driven to challenge from last, every chance until just held close home, 2nd of 8, nk behind Ballincurrig (10-8) at Sandown 2m 4f nov chs (2) gs in Apr.
Ulck Du Lin (FR) 5-4fav (11-12) Tracked leader, chased winner from after 7th, ridden before 2 out, kept on and no impression, 2nd of 5, 6l behind Fair Dilemma (11-5) at Plumpton 2m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs in Apr.
Stone Light (FR) 6-4fav (11-1) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd 3 out, led 2 out, idled flat, driven out, won at Warwick 2m 4f mares nov hcp chas 0-125 (3) gs in Mar beating Spirit Oscar (11-3) by 2 1/2l, 3 ran.
