tracked leader, slow jump 7th, left clear leader 9th, jumped right 12th, drew further clear 15th, unchallenged
in rear, mistake and unseated rider 3rd
held up and jumped left throughout, chased winner from 5 out, no impression
held up, mistake 8th, left 2nd 9th, weakened 15th, mistake and unseated rider 3 out, remounted, finished 3rd
led, blundered and unseated rider 9th
Abragante did us a favour last time, and can do so again, with Neysauteur and Fill The Bunker the ones to give him most to do. Having looked all set to take a hand in the finish on his chase debut at Cheltenham before falling at the last, Abragante duly made amends when scoring cosily at Haydock 16-days ago. Timmy Murphy gave him a very patient ride, and although the five-year-old seemed to idle a bit on the run-in, he disposed of some useful older rivals in the manner of a horse to follow. He will know more now, and should make a bold bid to follow up despite a rise in the weights. He gets 2lb from main rival Neysauteur and that should be enough, although the latter, a French import, has also come on in leaps and bounds for new trainer Charlie Longsdon. Fill The Bunker was in the process of running a big race when falling at Kempton last time, and in receipt of weight all round makes more appeal than Ca Na Trona who, although the subject of encouraging home reports, has a long absence to overcome. For the winner we like the look of Abragante.
Neysauteur (FR) 10-11fav (12-0) Held up, headway after 8th, blundered 10th, challenged from 2 out, stayed on, 3rd of 10, 2l behind Supreme Tadgh (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-110 (4) hvy in Oct.
Abragante (IRE) 11-8fav (11-1) Held up, headway to track leaders 9th, ridden to chase leader 2 out, kept on to lead close home, won at Haydock 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd beating Turgeonev (11-12) by 1/2l, 8 ran.
Ca Na Trona (IRE) 9-4 (10-11) Led, ridden and headed after 3 out, rallied and led 2 out, ran on well flat, won at Taunton 3m nov hdl (D) gd in Nov '04 beating Lou Du Moulin Mas (10-4) by 2l, 7 ran.
Hambaphambili 33-1 (10-11) Tracked leaders, ridden and every chance 2 out, soon weakened, 9th of 15, 30l behind Here We Go (10-11) at Cheltenham 3m nov hcp hdl (3) gd in Apr.
Fill The Bunker (IRE) 7-2jt-fav (11-3) Prominent, went 2nd 11th, disputing lead when fell at the 12th in race won by Rakalackey (11-5) at Kempton 3m nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd, 8 ran.
