jumped left, led until not flurnt 17th, weakened 20th, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, jumped left 6th, mistake 9th, not fluent 14th or 17th, went 2nd 19th, led next, ridden and headed before 2 out, stayed on same pace
held up, hit 6th, not fluent 7th or 11th, hit 18th, went 3rd 20th, no impression, well beaten 4 out, lost 3rd 2 out
pressed leader, not fluent 6th, led 17th, headed 20th, not fluent 3 out, led before 2 out when again not fluent, driven out flat
prominent until 5th, chased leaders, bumped 6th, blundered 9th, not fluent and outpaced from 16th, well beaten 4 out, went 3rd 2 out
Question marks against all five and a rather modest turnout numerically. Royaume Bleu receives lots of weight but has not been sighted the last thrice, whilst De La Bech appears in the handicapper's grip, although he has just started to relent a little of late. The Hobbs team is in tremendous heart obviously and he needs to be taken seriously but has yet to oblige over further than 3m. Soudain has the best form as he landed this contest last year with nonchalant ease but there have been only two runs since, resulting in a pulled up and ninth of 11 at Carlisle on reappearance. If all is well with him he's the one to beat but AMROTH BAY is preferred. After 17 months off, he hosed up on his first appearance for the Skeltons over 3m2f and he certainly wasn't stopping that day. Hopefully he won't fall prey to the bounce factor and is taken to follow up for his in-form team in the belief he'll stay the extra half mile. Smart Exit, a winner last time, was third in this race behind Soudain last year but is another yet to win over more than 3m.
De La Bech 7-1 (11-9) Prominent, jumped slowly 6th, lost place at end of back-straight, stayed on flat, no impression, 5th of 12, 9l behind Gas Line Boy (11-12) at Exeter 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs.
Soudain (FR) 20-1 (11-6) Close up, ridden 4 out, weakened last, 9th of 11, 47l behind Ballyoliver (11-8) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft.
Smart Exit (IRE) 8-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, went 2nd at the 5th, led before 5 out, kept on well, ridden out, won at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft beating Herecomesthehollow (10-5) by 7l, 8 ran.
Amroth Bay 13-8 (11-10) Chased leader, mistake 13th, led 2 out, ran on well, won at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp 0-100 (5) gd in Aug beating Crannaghmore Boy (12-5) by 22l, 5 ran.
Royaume Bleu (FR) 7-1 (11-2) Led until not fluent 12th, hit 13th, weakened before 4 out, 6th of 7, 42l behind No Through Road (10-1) at Worcester 2m 7f hcp 0-100 (5) gs in Oct.
