chased clear leaders, closed 6th, ridden after 10th, outpaced and no impression from 3 out, went 3rd last
held up in rear, not always fluent, in touch 6th, struggling 4 out, soon weakened
led, not fluent and headed 1st, tened to race wide, tracked winner, led 9th, soon headed, ridden after 3 out, 3rd and beaten when mistake 2 out, soon weakened
led after 1st, headed 9th, soon led again, pushed along 11th, driven and headed approaching 2 out, 4 lenghts down last, rallied to get back up towards finish
held up in rear, closed and in touch 6th, went 3rd 10th, ridden to lead approaching 2 out, 4 lenghts ahead last, headed towards finish
The Duke's Speech was more like his old self when runner-up to Morning Moment at Uttoxeter last month and has the beating of veteran Good Old Days on that effort. Storm Prospect will have needed his run at Perth and should strip fitter here, while Pharaon De Touzaine won at Uttoxeter in June but does tend to struggle off this sort of mark. GOLDEN DREAM failed to land the odds back over fences here last month and is 5lb higher now. But Brian Ellison's charge still has some scope over the larger obstacles and can make amends today with AP McCoy in the saddle for the first time.
Storm Prospect 3-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, left in lead 3rd, mistake and headed briefly 8th, mistake 11th, ridden and headed 2 out, weakened before last, 4th of 5, 28l behind Adrianeo (10-4) at Perth 2m 4f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Jul.
The Duke's Speech (IRE) 10-1 (10-11) Held up in last pair, not fluent 8th or 11th, headway approaching 3 out, chased winner 2 out, stayed on same pace, no impression, 2nd of 7, 6l behind Morning Moment (11-1) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Jul.
Good Old Days (IRE) 3-1 (10-6) Prominent, not fluent 11th, soon hanging right, lost place when blundered 3 out, soon weakened, 6th of 7, 38l behind Morning Moment (11-1) at Uttoxeter 2m 5f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in Jul.
Golden Dream (IRE) 8-13fav (10-10) Tracked leader until left in lead 2nd, headed narrowly 5th, blundered and dropped to rear 9th, soon ridden, chased leading pair under pressure 12th, rallied to go 2nd approaching bypassed 2 out, kept on, held flat, 2nd of 6, 2 3/4l behind Walls Way (10-6) at Bangor 2m 4f nov hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Jul.
Pharaon de Touzaine (FR) 8-1 (11-12) Held up behind, headway 4 out, went 4th approaching last, one pace, 4th of 12, 19l behind Springaway (10-3) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in Jul.
Cengiz (IRE) 25-1 (10-7) Chased winner from 2nd, well held before 4 out, 2nd of 3, 15l behind Round Tom (11-0) at Worcester 2m 7f beg chase (4) gd in Jul.
