close up in 4th, not fluent 10th, went 3rd 3 out, ridden next and kept on same pace, mistake and stumbled on landing last
tracked leaders, pushed along 6 out, ridden and dropped to rear 3 out, soon beaten
tracked winner, ridden 2 out, kept on one pace
made all, 3 lengths clear last when blundered, ridden out
FOREST DES AIGLES is hard to oppose in this. He followed up a win at Hexham with a facile success at Carlisle and a 7lb penalty looks unlikely to anchor Lucinda Russell’s charge in this. Wuff won at Ffos Las at the end of last season but hasn’t raced since April and novice chase winner Mystical Knight was last seen in action in the same month. Bernardelli has won off a higher mark at Kelso and should be sharper for last month’s comeback run.
Mystical Knight 33-1 (11-0) Mid-division, ridden after 3 out, 9th 2 out, kept on same pace run-in, 6th of 15, 20l behind Woodland Opera (11-6) at Punchestown 2m 5f hcp Good - Yielding in Apr.
Bernardelli (IRE) 14-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, went 2nd from 8th, pushed along before next, soon weakened, 4th of 9, 13 1/2l behind Cyrus Darius (11-11) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Wuff (IRE) 11-4fav (11-8) Led before 1st until after 4th, chased leader until next, lost place 7th, rallied before 10th, pushed along in 4th after 14th, ridden and weakened before 3 out, 5th of 7, 20 1/2l behind Upswing (11-4) at Ffos Las 3m hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Forest Des Aigles (FR) 5-4fav (11-12) Towards rear, headway before 4 out, led 2 out, easily, won at Carlisle 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Dec beating Calivigny (11-8) by 6l, 9 ran.
