took keen hold, held up, headway 2nd, mistake 4th, not fluent 5th, lost place 6th, well beaten 8th
led, pressed 3 out, ridden and headed approaching last, no extra close home
held up, not fluent 3rd, headway approaching 7th, mistake and weakened 3 out
tracked leader, not fluent 3rd, lost 2nd 8th, losing place when mistake 4 out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, hit 3rd, went 2nd 8th, challenged 3 out, ran on flat
tracked leaders, ridden after 7th, not fluent 3 out, challenged 2 out, guessed at last, driven out
ULTRAVOX did really well over hurdles last season, winning four times including a victory over Haydock's fixed brush hurdles in April. Jeremy Scott's four-year-old hasn't raced since finishing well beaten at the Punchestown Festival at the start of the May but he receives all the allowances on his chasing bow and must go close if his jumping holds up. Pena Dorada, another four-year-old, could be the danger as he only found L'Eldorado too good on his first run over fences at Hexham earlier this month. Spice Bar has been in good form on the Flat and over timber this year but there is nothing in his pedigree to suggest he'll make a chaser so is probably best watched here while Midnight Opera has disappointed in his two runs so far over the larger obstacles.
Captain Hastings (IRE) 20-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, slight mistake 5th, no danger 6 out, tailed off, 12th of 15, well behind Kilflora (11-12) at Thurles 2m 2f beg chase in Mar.
Midnight Opera 7-1 (11-9) Held up in touch, lost place 4 out, behind when mistake 3 out and next, tailed off, 6th of 9, well behind Restezen D'armor (11-12) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Sep.
Park Lane 25-1 (11-12) Chased leaders, ridden before 5th, weakened before next, 9th of 14, 32l behind Balerina (10-2) at Kempton 2m cond hcp hdl 0-1115 (4) gs in Feb.
Spice Bar 8-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, headway from 3 out, soon ridden, never dangerous, 7th of 14, 15l behind Royale's Charter (11-4) at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd in Sep.
Supreme de Paille (IRE) 20-1 (10-5) Held up in rear, mistake 3rd, headway 3 out, weakened before next, 9th of 20, 41l behind Kilcrea Kim (10-12) at Sandown 2m 6f hcp hdl Grade 3 (1) gd in Feb.
Pena Dorada (IRE) 9-2 (10-7) Prominent, chased winner 3rd to 7th, rallied to chase winner again 2 out, one pace under pressure, 2nd of 5, 3 1/2l behind L'Eldorado (11-3) at Hexham 2m nov chs (4) gd.
Ultravox (USA) 16-1 (10-9) Disputed lead, headed 5 out, no extra approaching 3 out, weakened, tailed off, 10th of 16, well behind Askanna (11-1) at Punchestown 3m nov hdl G2 (1) gd in May.
