chased leader, led approaching 12th, headed 14th, chased leader until pulled up and dismounted 18th
chased leader, left 2nd at 18th, led going well 2 out, in command before last, stayed on strongly
chased leaders, not fluent 6th, mistake and lost place 12th, outpaced 16th, rallied from 3 out, stayed on same pace flat
jumped left, led, blundered 6th, headed approaching 12th, regained lead 14th, jumped badly left 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened before last
held up last, in touch, blundered and lost place 15th, rallied approaching 2 out, driven and went 2nd approaching last, no impression on winner
The ex-Irish Abbeybraney gets all the allowances going but Howard Johnson's gelding will need to improve on all known form to trouble the judge and a better bet looks to be ROLL ALONG, who gets the vote ahead of Barbers Shop. Nicky Henderson's gelding lost no caste in defeat when chasing home Imperial Commander in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month, form on which he has solid claims for his in-form yard. The winner that day is trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies who is represented here by Battlecry. The seven-year-old showed decent form over fences last season being placed in both the Royal & SunAlliance at Cheltenham and the Mildmay at Aintree and made a satisfactory reappearance when chasing home Ornais at Cheltenham last month. His conqueror there is trained by Paul Nicholls and he was showing improved form that day for the drop back in trip having failed to stay the four miles of the National Hunt Chase when last seen. He again has to be respected but preference is for Roll Along. Carl Llewellyn's gelding has a bit to find with Battlecry on running at Aintree last term but was good value for his defeat of subsequent Hennessy runner-up Air Force One last month and he looks the one to beat on that evidence.
Ornais (FR) 13-8 (11-7) Made all, ridden after 2 out, stayed on well to draw clear flat, won at Cheltenham 3m Grad Ch (2) sft in Nov beating Battlecry (11-0) by 8l, 4 ran.
Barbers Shop 5-1 (10-10) In touch, took closer order 10th, went 2nd 3 out, ridden after next, kept on, always held by winner, 2nd of 19, 3l behind Imperial Commander (10-7) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) sft in Nov.
Roll Along (IRE) 5-1 (11-1) Held up, headway and not fluent 15th, hard ridden after next, strong run from 2 out, led last, ridden out, won at Ascot 3m hcp chs (2) gd in Nov beating Air Force One (11-2) by 4l, 12 ran.
Battlecry 8-11fav (11-0) Held up in 3rd, not fluent 10th or 12th, mistake 14th, closed to chase winner soon after 2 out, just over 2 lengths down last, ridden and no impression, 2nd of 4, 8l behind Ornais (11-7) at Cheltenham 3m Grad Ch (2) sft in Nov.
Abbeybraney (IRE) 7-4 (10-12) Chased leaders in 3rd, closer in 2nd from 4 out, no impression under pressure straight, kept on same pace and dropped to 3rd inside final furlong, 3rd of 4, 6l behind Holly Tree (11-5) at Galway 2m 1f nov chs Grd 3 hvy in Oct.
