held up in touch, hampered and unseated rider 5th
chased leaders, awkward 2nd, hampered and dropped rear 5th, closed 9th, mistake 11th, ridden 4 out, went 3rd last, stayed on
held up, jumped right and hampered 2nd, mistake 5th, stumbled 8th, headway next, jumped slowly 11th, not fluent 14th, chased winner approaching 2 out, stayed on flat, always held
made all, jumped right and mistake 1st, jumped right next, not fluent 5th or 7th, clear last, ridden out
prominent when not much room 1st, jumped left, bumped and lost place next, bumped and rider lost iron briefly 5th, jumping lacked conviction after, reminders 8th, tailed off 5 out, soon pulled up
tracked winner until 2nd and again from 13th until before 2 out, weakened last
prominent when not much room 1st, lost place when hampered next, headway 4th, mistake 5th, chased winner 7th until 13th, terrible mistake 4 out, not recover and soon pulled up
Neither of the Pipe pair, Alderluck and Big Occasion, are getting much respite from the handicapper while Russian Song is starting to creep up the weights again and Malin Head will do well to figure from 14lb outside the handicap. PERICOLOSO is weighted to reverse recent Exeter running with Flying Award and has only had three runs over fences. He gets a tentative vote in this finale though Rhum would be a danger if able to recapture his best form and the lightly-raced Full Of Joy shouldn't be ignored.
Alderluck (IRE) 16-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, not fluent 7th (water), stayed on after last, had to be pulled away from dolled off strip and lost momentum 100 yards out, never on terms, 6th of 12, 12l behind Loch Ba (11-7) at Newbury 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) sft.
Big Occasion (IRE) 11-4 (11-1) Pressed leader, led narrowly 6th until after next, lost place and ridden after 13th, weakened before 5 out, tailed off, 4th of 5, well behind Mountainous (10-10) at Chepstow 3m beg chs (3) hvy in Dec.
Flying Award (IRE) 8-1 (10-3) Held up in rear, headway approaching 14th, outpaced by front trio and well held before 4 out, 4th of 13, 35l behind Rigadin De Beauchene (10-3) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs G3 (1) sft.
Rhum (FR) 7-1 (10-10) Led 1st, tracked leaders, mistake 4 out, soon outpaced, kept on approaching last, modest 3rd, 3rd of 5, 32l behind Carruthers (11-5) at Ffos Las 3m 1f hcp chs 0-140 (3) hvy in Dec.
Pericoloso (IRE) 12-1 (11-12) Made most until 9th, lost 2nd next, chased leaders, mistake 13th, stayed chasing leaders but outpaced 4 out, rallied to 2nd final 100 yards, no impression on winner, 2nd of 9, 4l behind Flying Award (11-5) at Exeter 3m hcp chs 0-115 (4) hvy.
Full Of Joy (IRE) 7-2 (11-10) Held up in 5th, jumped left at times, hit 6th, closed 10th, went 4th before 3 out, no impression, weakened before next, 4th of 6, well behind Shaking Hands (11-12) at Ffos Las 3m hcp chs 0-120 (4) hvy.
Russian Song (IRE) 5-2fav (10-9) Pressed winner on inside, outpaced in 3rd 16th, ridden 3 out, kept on approaching last, no impression flat, 3rd of 5, 8l behind Sulpius (10-8) at Wincanton 3m 1f nov hcp chs 0-115 (4) sft.
Malin Head (IRE) 8-1 (10-0) Led, not fluent 7th, ridden before 2 out, headed after last, no extra, 2nd of 10, 5l behind Newton Tonic (11-9) at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft.
