in rear and outpaced, pushed along 7th, soon struggling
tracked leaders, went 2nd approaching 6 out, challenged when blundered 2 out, led approaching last, kept on well
led, mistake 4 out, ridden and headed approaching last, one pace
mid-division, ridden and some headway approaching 4 out, went 4th approaching 3 out, weakened from next
tracked leaders, reminders approaching 8th, weakened approaching 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
held up towards rear, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
tracked leader until approaching 6 out, ridden and no impression from 3 out
held up towards rear, pushed along 7th, never dangerous, taile off and pulled up
held up towards rear, headway from 5 out, no impression from next
Paddy Brennan retains the ride on board Bankstair and Khazar comes here penalised for winning over course and distance last time out but we choose to give the vote to WIESENFURST here despite being pulled up in his last race. The selection had a poor run last time but won here over the trip two races ago to get the top prize for the first time. If showing that sort of form here it may be enough to snatch a win. Khazar is an obvious danger to our pick having beaten Post It by three lengths to be victorious in his last outing. This was a return to winning form for a horse that had not won before that race for almost two years. The field is stronger here and will need to find more to get back-to-back wins. Nigel Twiston-Davies has had a few winners of late and Bankstair was one of those who has won this month already. He has not won off this weight before though and is not fancied being so heavily penalised for that previous win. Our preference is for Wiesenfurst to rediscover that winning formula.
Nesnaas (USA) 10-1 (10-6) Behind, not fluent 7th, effort next, lost place 10th, 5th and no impression when not fluent last, 5th of 9, 8l behind Jordan's Light (10-10) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp ch 0-110 (4) gf in May.
Bankstair (FR) 2-1 (10-7) Led after 1st, made rest, hit 3 out, ridden and in command when hit last, driven out, won at Fontwell 2m 2f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd beating Maxwil (11-12) by 3 1/2l, 3 ran.
Folie A Deux (IRE) 3-1fav (11-7) Led, pushed along and joined 8th, headed approaching 4 out, weakened after next, 5th of 9, 14l behind Foreign King (11-7) at Exeter 2m 1f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gf in May.
Khazar (FR) 11-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, headway to go 2nd approaching 3 out, led approaching last, kept on, held on well, won at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gf in May beating Post It (10-11) by 3l, 6 ran.
Wiesenfurst (GER) 10-3 (11-8) Held up towards rear, reminders after 10th, tailed off when pulled up before 14th, in a race won by Hoof It Harry (11-9) at Fontwell 2m 6f nov hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in May, 8 ran.
No Greater Love (FR) 8-1 (10-4) Mid-division, mistake 3rd, blundered badly 5th, pulled up before next, in a race won by My Condor (9-10) at Worcester 2m hcp ch 0-110 (4) gd in May, 11 ran.
Misamon (FR) 9-4fav (11-8) Towards rear, reminder after 9th, headway 12th weakened approaching 4 out, went 3rd latter stages, tailed off, 3rd of 9, 40l behind Justabout (11-3) at Worcester 2m 7f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gs.
Space Cowboy (IRE) 9-4fav (10-10) Held up towards rear, outpaced 5 out, ridden approaching 3 out, chased leading pair next, kept on, always held in 3rd, 3rd of 6, 29l behind Khazar (11-4) at Fontwell 2m 2f hcp chs 0-90 (5) gf in May.
Mandalay Bay (IRE) 8-1 (10-5) Tracked leaders, chased winner from 6th until 4 out, no impression after, 4th of 6, 43l behind Gaining Ground (10-0) at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in May.
