raced wide in touch, ridden and weakened 14th, pulled up 3 out
prominent until lost place 3rd, in touch, ridden and dropped to rear 8th, not fluent 11th, pulled up 5 out
held up, not fluent 2/3rd, soon in rear, headway approaching 7th, close up, went 2nd 10th, led on long run to 4 out, ridden and headed 3 out, left 3rd 2 out, kept on one pace
led, hit 1st when rider lost iron briefly, ridden and headed on long run to 4 out and pulled up
close up, chased leader 4 out, ridden to lead next, soon headed, held when blundered and fell 2 out
close up, headway 4 out, ridden and every chance from 2 out, no extra towards finish
in touch, headway 4 out, led approaching 2 out, soon joined, ridden and asserted towards finish
towards rear, ridden and headway 4 out, kept on to go 4th flat
tracked leader until 10th, weakened 13th, pulled up 5 out
in rear, headway 14th, ridden 4 out, mistake last, lost 4th flat
in rear, ridden and blundered badly 4 out, soon pulled up
tracked leader until 10th. close up, ridden 4 out, weakened 2 out
Bako De La Saulaie has been placed in four of his six chase starts and his best runs have come on ground with some give. Crest made all at Kelso in May but hasn’t raced since. Less than a length separated Bafana Blue and Lough Salt here last month and there should be little between the pair again. Mon Palois was third on his chasing bow at Market Rasen and Blottos was better last time at Hexham, though has his fair share of weight. Philip Kirby holds a strong hand and Little Bruce is bidding for a fourth course victory but Adam Nichol rides SKIPTHESCALES, who won three times over hurdles but has always looked like a chaser in the making and had a pipe-opener at Aintree in October. Frankly Speaking should also make a better chaser than hurdler.
Crest 10-3 (11-6) Made all, ridden and clear from before last, won at Kelso 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in May beating Classical Milano (11-4) by 9l, 7 ran.
Blottos (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Tracked winner, outpaced from 3 out, plugged on and no impression, 3rd of 6, 16l behind Top Ville Ben (11-0) at Hexham 3m (4) sft in Nov.
Fawsley Spirit (IRE) 14-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, 2nd before 5th, blundered badly almost fell and unseated rider 11th, at Ffos Las 2m 5f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Little Bruce (IRE) 2-1fav (10-6) Leading when fell 2nd, at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Mon Palois (FR) 8-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, driven and outpaced in 3rd after 4 out, mistake next, no chance after, kept on same pace, 3rd of 9, 19l behind Some Chaos (10-11) at Market Rasen 3m hcp (4) gd in Nov.
Bako De La Saulaie (FR) 9-2 (11-2) Held up towards rear, jumped left 2nd, headway into mid-division, 7th, chased leaders 4 out, stayed on into 2nd after 2 out, never reached winner, 2nd of 10, 10l behind Looksnowtlikebrian (11-11) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Skipthescales (IRE) 16-1 (11-0) Chased leaders to 4 out, soon weakened, 13th of 16, dist behind Ready And Able (11-8) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Frankly Speaking 25-1 (11-2) In rear, mistake 6th, headway 8th, not fluent 3 out, no extra next, 7th of 14, 33 1/2l behind Django Django (11-8) at Chepstow 3m hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Nobuttaboy (IRE) 9-1 (11-9) Mid-division, lost place 6th, behind 8th, pulled up before next, at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gd in Apr.
Lough Salt (IRE) 6-1 (11-4) Held up in last pair, headway on heels of leaders when pecked 4 out, ridden and kept on same pace in 4th run-in, 4th of 7, 1 3/4l behind Miles To Milan (11-12) at Wetherby 3m hcp (4) gd in Nov.
Garde Forestier (FR) 22-1 (10-13) Held up in touch, headway to chase leaders 9th, mistake next, outpaced 5 out, rallying when fell next, at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in Nov.
Bafana Blue 11-2 (10-10) Tracked leading pair, jumped slowly 2nd, 2nd after 10th, closer when pushed along before 4 out, every chance last, kept on into 2nd post, not pace of winner, 2nd of 7, 1 1/4l behind Miles To Milan (11-12) at Wetherby 3m hcp (4) gd in Nov.
