mostly jumped well, held up, headway tracking leaders 9th, hit 11th, led 3 out, clear before last, eased towards finish
chased leaders, ridden and weakened before 4 out
pressed leader, not fluent 3rd, headed when blundered 7th, led again next, headed 3 out, soon lost 2nd, chased leading pair until soon after 2 out, ridden and weakened before the last
led until 4th, pressed leader, led again 7th until hit next, every chance 3 out, chased winner, ridden and one pace run-in, no chance with winner
took keen hold, tracking leaders, driven and went 3rd soon after 2 out, kept on same pace run-in
held up, dropped to rear 4th, ridden and plugged on from after 3 out, went 4th last, one pace run-in
This is a pretty decent contest but Union Saint didn't show much on his reappearance here on New Year's Day having twice finished second at Newton Abbot last spring. Thomas Crapper will be running his 11th chase but has been placed seven times, mostly against decent opposition, and makes more appeal than Wizards Bridge in receipt of 5lb. Golden Doyen, a Grade 2 winner over hurdles, was placed twice in the autumn but is another to have run poorly here last time and is on a the small side for a chaser. Port Melon could go well in first-time blinkers but has been racing over further. HENRYVILLE (NAP) hasn't raced since being beaten half-a-length by Irish Cavalier at Newton Abbot in October but the winner finished fifth in last week's Gold Cup so that's decent form and he can make a winning return to action.
Henryville 15-8fav (10-8) In rear, not always fluent, outpaced after 4 out, stayed on from 2 out, went 2nd last, closed on winner, flattered by proximity, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Irish Cavalier (11-6) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f (2) gs in Oct.
Port Melon (IRE) 20-1 (11-9) Held up, hampered 12th, went 4th 13th, ridden and outpaced 4 out, weakened before next, went 3rd close home, 3rd of 7, dist behind Native River (11-9) at Newbury 2m 7f (1) gs in Nov.
Wizards Bridge 9-2jfav (11-12) Held up in touch, pushed along and quickly weakened before 4 out, pulled up, at Exeter 3m 7f hcp (3) sft in Feb.
Golden Doyen (GER) 9-2 (10-7) Chased leader, hit 2nd, pushed along and lost 2nd approaching and mistake 4 out, weakened into 4th when blundered next, blundered last, 4th of 7, dist behind Tea For Two (11-0) at Exeter 2m 3f (2) hvy in Dec.
Thomas Crapper 14-1 (10-4) Tracked leaders on outside, mistake and lost place 4th, well beaten before 3 out, 8th of 11, 28 1/4l behind Village Vic (10-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Union Saint (FR) 12-1 (11-0) In touch, lost place before 3 out, 4th of 5, dist behind Activial (11-0) at Exeter 2m 3f (4) hvy in Jan.
