took keen hold tracking leading pair, blundered and unseated rider 5th
raced wide, mostly jumped well, tracked leader, led 5th, in control when not fluent 4 out, clear when went slightly right final 3, easily
led until 5th, lost 2nd approaching 7th, immediately beaten, continued tailed off
held up 4th, closer order approaching 5th, 2nd approaching 7th, pushed along before 4 out, no chance with easy winner
PTIT ZIG should be another novice chaser to follow from the Paul Nicholls stable. A Grade 1 winner on heavy going in France a year ago, he was sixth in last season's Champion Hurdle and then fourth in the Aintree Hurdle. None of his rivals can boast that level of form but Kings Lad is decent, though has been hard to keep sound over the last 18 months. The mare Loyaute has won three times over hurdles but she's been thrown in at the deep end over fences here against the selection.
Kings Lad (IRE) 20-1 (10-13) Held up in touch, went 2nd after 2 out, ridden and stayed on flat, no impression on winner, 2nd of 6, 3 1/2l behind Volnay De Thaix (11-12) at Newbury 2m hcp hdl 0-145 (2) gd in Mar.
Ptit Zig (FR) 14-1 (11-7) Led, mistake 1st, headed 3rd, stayed prominent, ridden after 3 out, not fluent 2 out, soon edged right, 4th and beaten last, weakened flat, 4th of 7, 10l behind The New One (11-7) at Aintree 2m 4f hdl G1 (1) gd in Apr.
Rock Of Fife 100-1 (11-1) Tracked leader to after 5th, behind from 7th, no chance with leaders after, tailed off, last of 5, well behind Vibrato Valtat (11-1) at Warwick 2m nov chs (3) gs.
Loyaute (FR) 50-1 (10-7) Held up in touch, tracked leaders 3 out, effort next, soon ridden and one pace, lost place last, 6th of 7, 10l behind The New One (11-8) at Kempton 2m Listed hdl (1) gs in Oct.
