with leaders, led 3rd, headed 7th, hit 9th and soon lost place, rallied after 6 out, in 5th and pushed along when blundered and unseated rider
held up towards rear, soon struggling and pushed along, some headway 5 out, hit 3 out, never dangerous
tracked leaders, led 10th, ridden and clear before bend into home straight, headed and no extra last 50 yards
held up in mid-division, when blundered badly and unseated rider 1st
always towards rear, weakened from 9th, tailed off, pulled up before 4 out
in touch, led 7th, headed 10th, ridden after last, no impression
held up mid-division, hit 10th, weakened approaching 5 out, pulled up before next
held up towards rear, headway approaching 5 out, no impression from 3 out
led, headed approaching 3rd, chased leaders, ridden after last, kept on to lead last 50 yards
DELIGHTFUL CLICHÉ could pull out all the stops here and win and is therefore our selection, whilst the Donald McCain Jnr trained Fair Question may be able to produce a good race and Thistlecraft who has shown some renewed form of late may also pose dangers to our choice. Delightful Cliché has won only four times in twenty eight races, but one of those victories was two races ago at Folkestone when winning by a neck against He's On His Way. Thistlecraft who runs again in the visor has been second in both of his last two races. In his last outing at Uttoxeter he lost out by just a quarter length to Keepitsecret. If showing this sort of form in this contest then he could be the main danger to our selection. Fair Question has been lightly raced over the past couple of seasons. One of his runs was in April where he scored a very good victory at Carlisle ahead of Areyacoddinmee winning by an excellent thirty lengths. However, pulling up in his last race does not instil the greatest confidence. We shall take a tentative punt at Delightful Cliché to gain the win here.
Fair Question (IRE) 10-3fav (11-8) Led to 7th, lost place 11th, behind from 17th, tailed off when pulled up before 22nd, in a race won by Martha's Kinsman (11-0) at Cheltenham 4m 1f hts chs (4) gd in May, 18 ran.
Areyacoddinmee (IRE) 100-1 (11-9) Held up mid-division, headway approaching 14th, blundered next, outpaced approaching 2 out, kept on well from last, 4th of 13, 4 1/2l behind Moment of Madness (11-7) at Kelso 3m 1f hts chs (6) gf in May.
Delightful Cliche 11-4 (11-11) Led to after 1st, with leader, led again narrowly 2 out, soon ridden, headed last, one pace flat, lost 3rd towards finish, 4th of 12, 7l behind Blaze Ahead (11-7) at Huntingdon 3m hts chs (6) gf in May.
Optimistic Harry 5-1 (12-5) Bhnd til hdwy 15; stayed on wl 2 out; nt rch ldrs, 3rd of 15, 8l behind Sweet Citizen (12-3) at Tabley 3m ptp gf in May.
Proud Andees (IRE) 9-4 (12-0) Bhnd til slpd up aft 11, in a race won by Amicelli (12-0) at Dingley 4m ptp in May, 12 ran.
Doc Row (IRE) 9-1 (10-3) Behind, struggling 11th, lost touch and pulled up before 13th, in a race won by Ollie Magern (11-8) at Perth 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gs in May, 12 ran.
Oaklands Luis 5-1 (12-0) In tch til rn out 8, in a race won by Over To Joe (12-0) at Easingwold 3m ptp gd in May, 11 ran.
Thistlecraft (IRE) 13-2 (11-5) Held up in rear, headway 8th, ridden before 2 out, stayed on well flat, closing near finish, 2nd of 7, nk behind Keepitsecret (12-6) at Uttoxeter 3m hts chs (6) gd in May.
Thunder Hawk (IRE) 9-2 (10-6) Held up towards rear, reminders approaching 10th and 11th, weakened 12th, 4th of 6, 27l behind Take The Stand (12-2) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp hunt chs 0-125 (3) gd in May.
