held up towards rear, not fluent 12th, well behind 17th, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, led 4 out, headed 3 out, stayed on under pressure, no impression on winner flat
tracked leaders, fell 16th
tracked leaders, led 5th, soon headed, led 8th until 10th, led 13th, not fluent and headed 16th, weakened from 2 out
mid-division, headway 16th, not fluent next, no impression from 3 out
held up in rear, hit 9th and 14th, headway on inside approaching 17th, every chance 2 out, no extra towards finish
led 1st until 4th, stayed handy, ridden 4 out, no impression on leaders 2 out, stayed on final 150 yards
held up towards rear, bad mistake 8th, ridden and behind 15th, pulled up before 17th
tracked leaders, hit 4th, led after next, hit 7th, headed 8th, led again 10th until 13th, led 16th, headed 4 out, led 3 out, clear flat, stayed on well
mid-division, took keen hold early stages, blundered and lost place 15th, hampered next, soon behind
tracked leaders, led 4th until next, stayed close up, blundered 16th, hit 4 out, weakened 2 out
reluctant to join others before start, held up in rear, headway when hampered 16th, blundered next, no impression from 3 out
tracked leaders on outside, ridden after 17th, outpaced by leaders from 3 out, stayed on final 150 yards, no impression
led into start, narrow lead until jumped slowly 1st, soon in rear, blundered 14th, headway 4 out, ran on flat, went 3rd towards finish, going on close home
mid-division, mistake and hampered 16th, well beaten 4 out
tracked leaders, lost place when not fluent 4th, headway approaching 12th, weakened from 3 out
prominent early, tracked leaders, hit 7th, reminder and lost place after 10th, well behind 17th, pulled up befoe 4 out
mistake 8th, always in rear, tailed off
The brilliant Denman has won this twice under top weight but stablemate Neptune Collonges may find the task beyond him. Paul Nicholls looks to have better prospects in the lightly-raced pair Aiteen Thirtythree and Michel Le Bon, who have both won at the track, though the former looks to have his fair share of weight considering his lack of experience and the latter is returning from two years on the sidelines. Great Endeavour stayed this trip over hurdles and turned the Paddy Power Gold Cup into a procession two weeks ago. He should go well under a small penalty but this is a race in which second-season chasers have thrived down the years so WYMOTT may be the one to beat at the weights. He rattled up a hat-trick over fences last season and something was clearly amiss when he was pulled up in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in March. He has been pleasing Donald McCain at home and gets 6lb from the equally promising Wayward Prince, who stayed on to finish third in the RSA Chase but was beaten by the selection off level weight over hurdles last year. Proven stayers Beshabar and Carruthers have each-way claims and may prove the pick of the remainder.
Neptune Collonges (FR) 16-1 (11-12) In touch in mid-division, lost place and mistake 10th, towards rear next, back in mid-division 17th, stayed on from 4 out, 5th 3 out, no chance with leaders and well held, 6th of 28, 34l behind Beshabar (10-4) at Ayr 4m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr.
Planet of Sound 20-1 (11-10) Held up behind in touch, headway and in touch 12th, outpaced 5 out, weakend from next, tailed off, 5th of 9, well behind Long Run (11-10) at Kempton 3m chs G1 (1) gs in Jan.
Sarando 7-2 (11-7) Held up in touch, effort to lead when jumped right 10th, joined next , jumped right 4 out, clear next, blundered 2 out, stayed on strongly run-in, won at Carlisle 3m grad ch (2) gs beating Aikman (11-3) by 11l, 6 ran.
Aiteen Thirtythree (IRE) 5-4 (11-10) Not always fluent, led, went left 8th and next, pushed along and unable to quicken after 4 out, headed next, soon no chance with comfortable winner, 2nd of 3, 3l behind Somersby (11-10) at Kempton 2m 4f grad ch (2) gd in Oct.
Blazing Bailey 20-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, hit 5th and reminders, struggling when pulled up before 19th, in a race won by Beshabar (10-4) at Ayr 4m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr, 28 ran.
Great Endeavour (IRE) 8-1 (10-3) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 8th, led 3 out, clear when mistake last, comfortably, won at Cheltenham 2m 4f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs beating Quantitativeeasing (10-0) by 7l, 20 ran.
Beshabar (IRE) 15-2 (10-4) Prominent, went 2nd 4th, led 8th, made rest, hard pressed from 4 out until not fluent 2 out, 3 lengths ahead last, held on, won at Ayr 4m hcp chs G3 (1) gd in Apr beating Merigo (10-0) by 3/4l, 28 ran.
Wayward Prince 7-4fav (11-4) Held up in touch, mistake 8th, mistake 12th, kept on one pace from 3 out, 4th of 8, 8l behind Quito De La Roque (11-4) at Aintree 3m 1f nov chs G2 (1) gd in Apr.
Carruthers 10-1 (11-7) Tracked leader 2nd, led 8th, headed 3 out, stayed on under pressure, no impression on winner after 2 out, no extra when losing 2nd flat, 3rd of 11, 14l behind Galaxy Rock (10-10) at Cheltenham 3m 3f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs.
Muirhead (IRE) 6-1 (11-6) Held up towards rear, slightly hampered 2nd, no real impression when hampered 4 out, 8th of 17, 28l behind Exmoor Ranger (10-10) at Ascot 3m Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gd in Oct.
Michel Le Bon (FR) 6-4 (11-2) Led 2nd, made rest, hit 3rd and 9th, clear when hit 14th, well on top, eased run-in, won at Newbury 3m nov chs Grade 2 (1) gs in Nov '09 beating Bench Warrent (11-9) by dis, 4 ran.
The Giant Bolster 10-1 (10-2) Mistake and unseated rider 1st, in a race won by Great Endeavour (10-3) at Cheltenham 2m 4f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs, 20 ran.
Wymott (IRE) 11-1 (11-4) In rear, never looked happy, mistake 9th, pecked 12th, hampered 14th, pulled up before next, in a race won by Bostons Angel (11-4) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs G1 (1) gd in Mar, 12 ran.
Fair Along (GER) 16-1 (11-3) Led into start, prominent 1st, chased leaders, lost place approaching 6th, not fluent 9th, ridden after 14th, 7th 4 out, no impression, 6th of 11, 38l behind Galaxy Rock (10-10) at Cheltenham 3m 3f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs.
Balthazar King (IRE) 11-1 (11-2) Led until mistake 8th, hit 12th and lost place, well behind 18th, soon pulled up, in a race won by Galaxy Rock (10-10) at Cheltenham 3m 3f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs, 11 ran.
Tullamore Dew (IRE) 20-1 (10-0) Held up in rear, fell 11th, in a race won by Great Endeavour (10-3) at Cheltenham 2m 4f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs, 20 ran.
Billie Magern 20-1 (10-0) Prominent, lost place 7th, hit next, rallied approaching 3 out, no impression before next, 5th of 20, 28l behind Great Endeavour (10-3) at Cheltenham 2m 4f Grade 3 hcp chs (4yo+) (1) gs.
Qhilimar (FR) 4-1fav (11-12) In touch, chased leaders before 4 out, chased winner after last, kept on and always held, 2nd of 16, 2 1/2l behind Power Pack Jack (10-0) at Carlisle 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gs in Oct.
