behind, reminders 7th, driven to chase leaders 4 out, weakened next
in touch, mistake 9th, headway next, challenged 3 out, ridden and every chance, one pace flat
tracked leaders, driven 4 out, ridden 2 out, stayed on under pressure to lead after last, headed and no extra near finish
with leader, ridden and outpaced 4 out, soon lost place, weakened next
always prominent, hit 7th, disputed lead next, outpaced 5 out, headway to lead next, soon ridden, headed after last, no extra flat
in touch, reminders 6th, ridden and outpaced 5 out, behind when pulled up before next
made most until headed 4 out, soon outpaced, ridden and hit 2 out, rallied flat, led near finish
A decent handicap chase where all the runners look exposed and it can pay to side with Turgeonev, who loves this place and has two course and distance wins to his name, one of which came on soft ground. Tim Easterby's 10-year-old ran well until blowing up on his reappearance, he is now 9lb lower than that most recent win, which came in February 2004, and this is his optimum trip. Quazar, Le Passing and Vandas Choice are also all lovers of cut in the ground, and can make this ultra competitive. Quazar is a real battler who will gallop all the way to the line. If he strips fit enough first time then he will not be far away. The same can be said of Le Passing, who'd probably love even more rain, but who looks weighted to the hilt, while Vandas Choice finished in front of our selection last time and should improve for that, so he must surely go close. Banker Count isn't as good as he was, and so we will stick with the maxim of 'horses for courses' and go with Turgeonev.
Quazar (IRE) 11-4 (11-6) Held up towards rear, progress into 4th halfway, 3rd and ridden 3 out, moderate 2nd next, kept on without troubling winner, 2nd of 8, 5l behind Forget The Past (11-10) at Punchestown 2m 5f nov chs Grd 2 sft in Apr.
Le Passing (FR) 5-4fav (11-10) Held up mid-division, headway 12th, ridden approaching 4 out, blundered badly 3 out, 3rd of 6, well behind Mixsterthetrixster (11-10) at N Abbot 2m 5f nov chs (C) gd in Apr.
Vandas Choice (IRE) 16-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, outpaced 5 out, driven and headway 3 out, ridden and stayed on to go 2nd after next, held when mistake last, 2nd of 8, 4l behind Full House (11-6) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (B) gf.
Amberleigh House (IRE) 40-1 (11-7) Mid-division, lost touch from 11th, tailed off when pulled up 5 out in race won by I Hear Thunder (10-0) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-145 (B) gd, 11 ran.
Banker Count 9-1 (11-12) Prominent until 11th, in touch, ridden approaching 14th, weakened after 4 out, 5th of 10, 37l behind Red Devil Robert (11-3) at Newbury 3m hcp chs 0-135 (C) gs in Apr.
Turgeonev (FR) 4-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, ridden and effort 3 out, weakened after next, 6th of 8, 16l behind Full House (11-6) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (B) gf.
St Matthew (USA) 7-2co-fav (11-8) Led, hit 2nd, headed 6th, remained in touch, one pace when mistake 3 out and next, soon ridden and weakened, 5th of 8, 14l behind Full House (11-6) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (B) gf.
