jumped left at times, chased leaders, blundered 1st, led 11th (foinavon), pecked 4 out, headed 2 out, 4th and no extra before elbow
tracked leaders, mistake 11th (foinavon), well behind 4 out, pulled up after 3 out
held up in rear, headway when mistake 11th (foinavon), not fluent 4 out, 3rd from last, stayed on, no impression on winner
prominent until blundered baldy 3rd (chair), soon in rear, behind when pulled up before 7th
led until blundered and unseated rider 9th
held up towards rear, headway 9th, tracking leaders 3 out, no extra 2 out
held up towards rear, headway from 5th, blundered 3 out, no extra next
always prominent, left in lead 9th, headed 11th (foinavon), led 2 out, edged left and clear before elbow, stayed on well
mid-division, jumped left and bumped 1st, not much room 11th (foinavon), well beaten after 3 out
mid-division on inside, blundered 9th, not much room 11th (foinavon), headway 14th, 2nd last, stayed on, no impression on winner
chased leaders until mistake 5th, blundered badly 11th (foinavon), well beaten from 4 out
mid-division, not much room 3rd, lost place 5th, fell 12th (canal turn)
always towards rear, blundered 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
mid-division, slow 3rd, towards rear when pecked 10th (becher's brook), mistake and unseated rider 13th (valentines)
mid-division, hampered 1st, closed after 4th, close up next, lost place 14th, weakened after 3 out
tracked leaders, lost place 7th, slow next, struggling 11th (foinavon), pulled up after 3 out
in rear until fell 10th (becher's brook)
Easy Musselburgh winner Seefood still looks well treated on the pick of his form in Ireland and would be one of those likely to benefit if Troika Steppes, as expected, adopts his usual front-running tactics. Bennys Mist beat Seventh Sky nine lengths in this last year and is only 4lb worse off but he finished tailed off behind Astracad at Cheltenham on his reappearance. Henryville has become disappointing but Valadom is improving and beat Seventh Sky over 3m at Bangor. Held up in the Betvictor Gold Cup, AS DE MEE never figured but he did finish ahead of La Vaticane and Bennys Mist in last season's Topham Trophy here when still a novice so the fences should hold no fears - Paul Nicholls' six-year-old looks well treated. Vintage Vinnie's suspect jumping will face a tough test here so Milgen Bay may be a better each-way bet.
Seventh Sky (GER) 20-1 (11-9) Always prominent, ridden to challenge after 3 out, kept on well towards finish, 2nd of 13, 1 1/4l behind Valadom (10-12) at Bangor 3m hcp (2) gs in Nov.
Bennys Mist (IRE) 12-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, hit 9th, reminders after 11th, lost place before 13th, weakened 3 out, tailed off, 8th of 9, dist behind Astracad (10-8) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Henryville 5-1fav (11-12) Held up, in rear, not fluent 11th, struggling next, soon well behind, pulled up before 16th, at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Valadom (FR) 7-1 (10-12) Made all, hard ridden approaching last, all out, won at Bangor 3m hcp (2) gs in Nov beating Seventh Sky (11-9) by 1 1/4l, 13 ran.
Witness In Court (IRE) 33-1 (11-4) Held up in rear, not fluent 1st, mistake 9th, ridden and behind 12th, 6th of 9, dist behind Thomas Brown (10-13) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (2) gs in Nov.
Vintage Vinnie (IRE) 16-1 (10-7) Tracked leader, not fluent 2nd, lost place approaching 3 out, behind when pulled up before next, at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
La Vaticane (FR) 9-4fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, chased winner 6th, closed 13th, ridden and every chance when pecked on landing 2 out, effort when hampered and bumped by winner at last, not recover, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Desert Queen (11-0) at Market Rasen 3m lst (1) gd in Nov.
As De Mee (FR) 7-1 (10-8) Held up, slow 8th, some headway from 2 out, never dangerous, 8th of 17, 19l behind Taquin Du Seuil (11-11) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Federici 12-1 (10-12) Always towards rear, ridden and no impression 4 out, no extra entering straight, 10th of 16, dist behind Raz De Maree (10-11) at Cork 3m 4f hcp gd in Nov.
Seefood (IRE) 13-8fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, on outside, challenging when not fluent 4 out, led before 2 out, clear when jumped left and in tight last, ridden out, won at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov beating Wings Of Smoke (11-9) by 5l, 6 ran.
Astracad (FR) 10-3fav (10-8) Tracked leaders, led before 13th, hard pressed 3 out, ridden after last, stayed on well, won at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp (2) gd in Nov beating Ericht (10-8) by 1 1/2l, 9 ran.
Howlongisafoot (IRE) 40-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear, headway under pressure 4 out, never on terms, 7th of 13, 34 1/2l behind Valadom (10-12) at Bangor 3m hcp (2) gs in Nov.
Troika Steppes 11-2 (10-12) Tracked leader, led 3rd, blundered 3 out, headed next, ridden and kept on under pressure flat, always held, 2nd of 15, 2 1/4l behind What A Moment (11-0) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Rouge Et Blanc (FR) 66-1 (10-0) Mid-division, headway when hampered 10th (bechers), chased leaders next, ridden 2 out, weakened last, 16th of 29, dist behind Eastlake (10-11) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
The Italian Yob (IRE) 16-1 (11-11) Rear division, reminders 11th, soon headway to go in touch, one pace and no impression from 4 out, 5th of 11, 12 1/2l behind Royal Palladium (11-9) at Exeter 3m hcp (3) sft in Nov.
Milgen Bay 4-1 (10-2) Made all, ridden over 1f out, kept on gamely, won at Towcester 2m 6f hcp (3) gd in Nov beating Jimmy The Jetplane (11-12) by 4 1/2l, 4 ran.
Voyage A New York (FR) 25-1 (10-8) Held up towards rear, headway before 6 out to chase leaders, ridden before 4 out, weakened before next, 7th of 11, dist behind Mysteree (10-12) at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
