settled in rear but in touch when fell 4th
in touch, headway 4 out, driven next, every chance 2 out, weakened last
led, headed just after 3 out, soon rallied and led again approaching next, ran on strongly
prominent, joined leader 8th, mistake 5 out, led after 3 out, headed before next, weakened before last
tracked leader, hard ridden to challenge approaching last, soon chasing winner, stayed on well
ITOLDYOU scored over the course and distance a year ago and also completed a double at Fontwell in the spring. He's returned to action in excellent shape and the conditions should help him get back to winning ways. Vikekhal has won over hurdles here but he's still a maiden over fences and has yet to prove he stays this far. Leg Iron stays extreme distances, as he showed when scoring over 3m5f at Warwick last December, and he should be forgiven pulling up over the cross country course at Cheltenham last time. Ballyvoneen has won eight times over fences, six of them over this course and distance, and though never from a mark this high can never be ruled out on his favourite track. Browns Brook looked a potentially useful stayer when completing a double in impressive fashion at Huntingdon early this year but he's been beaten a distance in his two most recent starts and is best watched.
Itoldyou (IRE) 5-1 (10-10) Held up last but in touch, left in 4th at 12th, mistake 14th, pushed along before 17th, 3rd 4 out, led next, mistake 2 out, ridden and edging left when narrowly headed last, every chance until no extra final 150 yards, 2nd of 5, 1 1/4l behind Woodford County (11-5) at Newbury 3m 2f am hcp chs 0-125 (3) sft in Nov.
Vikekhal (FR) 5-4fav (11-7) Led, hit 6th, clear before 3 out, ridden between last two, reduced lead when blundered last, driven and headed flat, no extra and dropped to 3rd final 100 yards, 3rd of 5, 2l behind Tresor De Bontee (11-9) at Lingfield 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Nov.
Leg Iron (IRE) 66-1 (11-2) Held up in touch, struggling when mistake 17th, tailed off 5 out, soon pulled up, in a race won by Balthazar King (11-8) at Cheltenham 3m 7f crs cntry chs (5yo+) (2) gd in Nov, 7 ran.
Browns Brook (IRE) 9-2 (11-10) Tracked leaders in 3rd, headway before 10th, went 2nd before next until 5 out, beaten from before 3 out, 3rd of 4, well behind Southway Star (11-1) at Lingfield 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy in Nov.
Ballyvoneen (IRE) 5-1 (11-11) Tracked leaders, ridden in 3rd before 2 out, led before lst, kept on well, won at Plumpton 3m 2f hcp 0-100 (5) sft beating Brunette'sonly (10-12) by 4 1/2l, 7 ran.
