chased leaders, mistake 7th, pushed along 13th, lost place 3 out, weakened last, tailed off
held up, headway approaching 4 out, went 2nd last until before bend entering home straight, soon beaten in 4th
tracked leaders, not fluent 12th, went 2nd next, led 2 out, ridden in home straight, hung right inside final furlong, held on
led, not fluent 12th, soon headed, weakened 14th, tailed off
held up, took keen hold, headway approaching 4 out, chased winner before bend entering home straight, carried right inside final furlong, stayed on
held up, waied with before 4 out, headway 2 out, went 3rd bend entering home straight, not able to challenge
took keen hold in rear, jumped slowly 14th, ridden approaching 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off
chased leader, mistake 10th, led after 12th, driven approaching 4 out, headed 2 out, weakened last, tailed off
John Staunton's Volcanic Rock faces no easy task under a penalty for his win over a marathon trip here last time and a better bet looks to be Ferdy Murphy's SEIZE, who can confirm Perth form with Dead Or Alive, who he meets on 3lb worse terms for the length-and-a-half that separated the pair that day. Peter Bowen's No Panic is likely to run his usual good race but is probably better over slightly shorter, while Lucy Wadham's Backbord seems a shade high in the weights at present and does not look to be the easiest of rides judged by his latest effort at Bangor when his jumping was far from fluent. Jonjo O'Neill's Cool Running had no success in hunter chases and returns to a handicap on a fair mark so he has to be respected but preference is for Seize.
Dead Or Alive (IRE) 20-1 (10-11) Fell 1st, in a race won by Passato (11-3) at Newton Abbot 2m 5f listed hcp chs (1) gd, 16 ran.
Backbord (GER) 16-1 (11-4) In rear, headway 4 out, chased leading pair next, soon ridden, stayed on under pressure to go 2nd post, no chance with winner, 2nd of 9, 9l behind That's Rhythm (11-12) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd.
No Panic (IRE) 11-4fav (11-12) Held up in touch, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened flat, 4th of 8, 13l behind Barnhill Brownie (10-11) at Worcester 3m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gd in Jul.
Seymour Weld 18-1 (11-9) Led, headed 4 out, soon weakened, 7th of 8, 42l behind Rockiteer (10-6) at Market Rasen 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd.
Cool Running (IRE) Evensfav (11-10) Held up 4th and last, pushed along 14th, ridden and outpaced 3 out, 6 lengths down and beaten when blundered next, soon weakened, last of 4, 47l behind Kadount (11-7) at Fakenham 3m hts chs (6) gf in May.
Volcanic Rock (IRE) 7-2 (11-6) Held up in 4th, last 6th, headway 15th, went 2nd 3 out, led after next, ridden in home straight, stayed on well, won at Cartmel 3m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd beating Petite Margot (11-9) by 1 3/4l, 5 ran.
Seize 5-1 (10-8) Held up in last pair, not fluent 10th, headway to chase leading pair from 14th, chased leader 2 out, strong run from last to lead final 100 yards, won going away, won at Perth 3m hcp chs 0-130 (3) gf in Jul beating Dead Or Alive (11-10) by 1 1/2l, 5 ran.
Speedy Max (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Mid-division best, poor 6th approaching 4 out, soon no extra, 7th of 14, well behind Pacific Ocean (10-5) at Wexford 3m 1f hcp chs 0-109 gd.
