held up, progress into mid-division 13th, closing when mistake 17th, weakened 3 out
chased leaders, hit 12th and lost place, ridden 16th, closed 18th, outpaced by leaders from 3 out
with leader, hit 11th, led 13th, headed narrowly before 2 out, still close 3rd last, stayed on one pace flat
held up, mistakes and reminders 11th, detached next, pulled up before 13th
jumped right several fences, in rear, behind 10th
in touch, mistake 6th, hit 11th, hit and pecked 18th, weakened approaching 3 out, well behind when pulled up before 2 out
mid-division, headway 7th, prominent from 13th, took narrow lead approaching 2 out, edged left soon after last, stayed on well to draw clear final 100 yards
mid-division, in touch 11th, weakening when mistake 15th, mistake 17th
prominent, mistake 6th, ridden before 17th, hit 4 out, weakened after 3 out
in touch, lost place when hit 8th, behind from 12th, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
prominent, not fluent 5th, lost place 14th, soon in rear, tailed off
mistakes, held up, always in rear, tailed off when pulled up before 18th
prominent, raced keenly, hit 16th, mistake next, mistake and weakened 4 out
mid-division, hampered and lost place 7th, reminders 9th, struggled on from 16th
mid-divison, hit 15th, blundered 16th, struggling from 4 out
led, hit 8th, mistake and headed 13th, weakened approaching 17th, behind when fell 3 out
held up, hampered 7th, jumped right 13th, headway 16th, 5th and in touch when blundered 3 out, weakened before 2 out
not jumped well, mid-division, in touch from 7th, struggling 17th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
mostly towards rear until fell 4 out
in rear and wide, some headway before 18th, not in contention, stayed on approaching 2 out, never a danger
in touch, fell 7th
held up, hampered 7th, headway approaching 13th, soon prominent, challenging 3 out, weakened before 2 out
mid-division, headway 12th, challenging 3 out, every chance last, no extra and edged right flat
mid-division, lost place 12th, in rear after
Aging, smart chasers Juveigneur, Kingscliff and Royal Auclair will have their supporters as will last year's winner Amicelli but there's been a buzz surrounding the challenge of CAPPA BLEU and it may be worth siding with youth. The last three winners have all been returned at 20-1 or bigger so punters should cast their eyes across this field but there have been a couple of winning favourites in the past ten years including Kingscliff who came with a big reputation from the point field. Cappa Bleu has been all the rage for this race for some time and won't lack for assistance from the saddle. Amicelli ran away with this race last year and is sure to have had this as his target but hasn't had the ideal preparation having fallen at Brocklesby Park. Juveigneur has an excellent track record and has been in fine form between the flags in Ireland; he may be twelve years of age now but is no back number. Paul Nicholls has a strong hand with Royal Auclair and Ofarel D'Airy whilst Kingscliff would be a popular and appropriate winner given his success here in 2003 but Cappa Bleu is taken to justify the hype.
Always Right (IRE) 3-1 (11-11) Tracked leaders, led 10th until narrow lead and fell 4 out in race won by Brooklyn Breeze (11-11) at Ayr 3m 1f hts chs (6) sft in Feb, 6 ran.
Amicelli (GER) 2-5fav (12-7) In tch til fell in race won by True Friday (11-11) at Brocklesby Park 3m ptp gd in Feb, 9 ran.
Baby Run (FR) 15-8fav (11-5) Mistake 1st, led 2nd, made rest, hit 4 out, in command last, stayed on flat, won at Ludlow 2m 4f hts chs (5) gs in Feb beating Man From Highworth (11-5) by 6l, 17 ran.
Back Nine (IRE) 3-1 (12-3) Made all, hit 2nd and 4 out, ridden when left 5 lengths clear 3 out, blundered last, all out, finished tired, won at Taunton 2m 7f hts chs (6) sft in Feb beating Lord Of Illusion (11-7) by 1/2l, 10 ran.
Border Fusion 5-1 (12-6) Held up in rear, not fluent 9th, headway 11th, went 3rd approaching 3 out, stayed on, 3rd of 7, 9l behind Murphy's Cardinal (11-9) at Haydock 3m hts chs (3) hvy in Feb.
Buckby Lane 6-1 (11-9) In touch, chased winner 6th until approaching 13th, ridden when hit 2 out, weakened last, 3rd of 5, 9l behind Ofarel D'airy (12-3) at Warwick 3m hts chs (6) sft in Feb.
Cappa Bleu (IRE) 4-5fav (12-0) (tt) led 10; qcknd clr 3 out; impressive, won at Chaddesley Corb' 3m ptp gd in Feb beating We're Confused (12-0) by 10l, 6 ran.
Chief Oscar (IRE) 13-8fav (11-6) Chased leaders, 2nd from 4th, improved to lead 3 out, slight mistake last, ridden and challenged run-in, all out close home, just held on, won at Downpatrick 2m 5f hts chs gs in Feb beating Bally Wall (11-4) by a shd, 12 ran.
Chilling Place (IRE) 2-7fav (12-0) Led aft 3; drvn out, won at Ideford Arch 3m ptp gd in Feb beating Xila Fontenailles (11-7) by 1l, 4 ran.
Christy Beamish (IRE) 1-3fav (11-7) A.p; led app 14; v easy, won at Eyton-On-severn 3m ptp gd in Feb beating Pirate Flagship (11-7) by 8l, 7 ran.
Dublin Hunter (IRE) (12-0) 3rd of 10, 2l behind Jamadiel (12-0) at Naul 3m ire ptp hvy in Feb.
Gaelsbob 9-2 (12-5) Hdwy 11; went 3rd aft 15; stayed on to ld nr fin, won at Larkhill 3m ptp gs in Jan beating Distant Thunder (12-5) by a nk, 11 ran.
Juveigneur (FR) (12-0) won at Kinsale 3m ire ptp gs in Nov beating Supreme Deal (12-0) by 6l, 7 ran.
Kingscliff (IRE) 10-11fav (12-0) Made all; lft clr 4 out, won at Milborne St Andr 3m ptp gd in Feb beating Bilton's Nap (12-0) by 25l, 9 ran.
Limerick Boy (GER) 10-11fav (11-13) Chased leaders, challenged 4 out, soon led, pushed along and kept on well flat, won at Newbury 2m 6f hts chs (6) gd in Feb beating Distant Thunder (11-12) by 2 1/2l, 8 ran.
Marblehead (IRE) 13-2 (11-7) Led, strongly pressed 2f out, headed and blundered last, no extra flat, 4th of 7, 3l behind Royal Auclair (11-5) at Sandown 2m 4f hts chs (6) sft in Feb.
Murphy's Cardinal (IRE) 10-3 (11-9) Held up, went 2nd approaching 12th, led 4 out, ridden approaching last, driven out, won at Haydock 3m hts chs (3) hvy in Feb beating Le Duc (12-1) by 4l, 7 ran.
Ofarel D'airy (FR) 8-11fav (12-3) Led 1st, made rest, hit 3rd, not fluent 10th, edged left after last, ridden and ran on, won at Warwick 3m hts chs (6) sft in Feb beating Worship The Stars (11-5) by 3/4l, 5 ran.
Proud Andees (IRE) 6-4fav (12-7) Hdwy 8; led aft 2 out; drvn out, won at Eyton-On-severn 3m ptp gd in Feb beating Killarney Prince (12-0) by 6l, 14 ran.
Robbers Glen (IRE) 3-1 (12-8) Held up in rear, upsides when brought down 4 out in race won by Brooklyn Breeze (11-11) at Ayr 3m 1f hts chs (6) sft in Feb, 6 ran.
Royal Auclair (FR) 8-15fav (11-11) Made all, stayed on well, ridden out, won at Fontwell 3m 2f hts chs (4) gd in Feb beating El Hombre Del Rio (11-9) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
Southwestern (IRE) 4-7fav (12-7) Held up; hdwy 15; qcknd to ld 2 out; impressive, won at Bishops Court 3m ptp gd in Feb beating Spuddler's Dream (12-7) by 20l, 7 ran.
Turthen (FR) 2-5fav (11-0) Hdwy 11; led aft 15; easy, won at Milborne St Andr 3m ptp gd in Feb beating Nobody Tells Me (11-0) by 10l, 6 ran.
You Do The Math (IRE) 15-8 (11-13) Held up, headway 7th, went 2nd approaching 13th until 3 out, led approaching 2 out, ridden out, won at Huntingdon 3m hts chs (6) gs in Feb beating Menchikov (12-3) by 3/4l, 8 ran.
