held up behind, headway 4 out, outpaced before next, never reached leaders, weakened and pulled up before 2 out
mid-division on outside, in touch 6th, driven and lost place before 4 out, weakened before next, behind when pulled up before 2 out
with leader, blundered and lost place 13th, chased leaders, outpaced 3 out, no impression after
tracked leaders on inside, ridden after 3 out, chased winner before next, switched inside between last 2, not fluent last, rallied gamely final 100 yards, just held
mid-division, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened
mid-division on outside, lost place 14th (water), soon behind and struggling, blundered 15th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
chased leaders, pushed along when mistake 13th, soon lost place, behind 4 out, 11th and plenty to do 3 out, ridden and stayed on to take 4th closing stages, no chance with leaders
in touch, dropped to mid-division 8th, lost place 13th, tailed off when blundered 4 out, pulled up soon after
mid-division on inside, not fluent 5th (water), hit 12th, blundered 15th, ridden to chase leaders after 3 out, 4th when not fluent last, never on terms, lost place closing stages
mid-division, headway when hit 13th, chased leaders 3 out, soon outpaced, never on terms, weakened last
hit 2nd, always behind, struggling 14th, lost touch 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, went 2nd before 4 out, led next, ridden after 2 out, kept on well when hard pressed inside final 100 yards, just held on
led narrowly, headed 15th, reminder after 4 out, ridden after next, went 3rd before last, kept on, no impression with front pair
always behind, struggling 4 out, tailed off when pulled up before last
mid-division, struggling 4 out, weakened next, tailed off
held up towards rear, headway on inside 16th, driven to chase leaders 3 out, outpaced when hit next, weakened last
chased leaders to 15th, soon behind, no danger after
tracked leaders, joined leader 13th, led 15th, hit and headed 3 out, soon ridden, lost place next, weakened last
Some tough stayers line up for the meeting’s first handicap with Nicky Henderson saddling three. Gold Present heads the weights but a further step up in trip on ground softer than ideal could thwart the hat-trick bid. Beware The Bear’s jumping will be put under pressure around here while the trip is beyond the best of O O Seven. But Coo Star Sivola hosed up on soft going at Exeter and has to go on the short-list, despite a 7lb rise, while Vintage Clouds usually runs his race and Shantou Flyer goes well here and has been more like his old self lately. Cogry could go well at a price if he puts in a clear round but SINGLEFARMPAYMENT is only 3lb higher than when beaten just a short-head in this 12 months ago. His run in the Cotswold Chase here in January can be ignored as he didn’t handle the very heavy ground and Tom George’s eight-year-old gets another chance on a course on which he generally runs well.
Gold Present (IRE) 17-2 (11-3) Chased leaders, 3rd before 2 out, close 2nd under pressure and good jump last, ridden and stayed on strongly to lead run-in, won at Ascot 3m hcp lst (1) gs in Dec beating Frodon (11-7) by 3l, 14 ran.
Sizing Codelco (IRE) 25-1 (11-9) Held up towards rear, struggling when hampered 10th, blundered 12th, behind when pulled up before 15th (canal turn), at Aintree 3m 2f hcp (1) hvy in Dec.
Yala Enki (FR) 8-1 (10-11) Close up, left in lead 13th, headed 6 out, led before 2 out, soon clear, won at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (1) hvy in Feb beating Blaklion (11-12) by dist, 8 ran.
Shantou Flyer (IRE) 10-11fav (11-4) Tracked leader, led before 4 out, headed before last, kept on and always held, 2nd of 4, 4 1/2l behind Big River (10-9) at Kelso 2m 7f (2) hvy in Feb.
O O Seven (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) In touch, tracked leaders after 4 out, challenged after next, ridden and outpaced by winner after 2 out, no chance after, weakened into 5th closing stages, 5th of 14, 20 1/2l behind Frodon (11-12) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Vicente (FR) 22-1 (11-12) Mid-division, struggling when not fluent 10th, blundered and unseated rider next, at Chepstow 3m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Beware The Bear (IRE) 11-1 (11-10) Mid-division, mistake 1st and 6th, headway 7th, hampered 12th, struggling next, mistake 14th, well beaten when pulled up before 2 out, at Chepstow 3m 5f hcp (1) hvy in Jan.
Wakanda (IRE) 8-1 (11-0) Mid-division, headway before 15th, led before 3 out, soon headed, rallied before last, kept on to regain lead towards finish, won at Doncaster 3m hcp lst (1) sft in Jan beating Warriors Tale (11-2) by hd, 13 ran.
Singlefarmpayment 15-2 (11-0) Held up towards rear on outside, blundered badly 11th, not recover and pulled up soon after, at Cheltenham 3m 1f (1) hvy in Jan.
Ramses De Teillee (FR) 15-8 (11-4) Tracked front pair, went 2nd and effort after 3 out, 2 lengths down when pecked next, ridden and readily outpaced by winner between last 2, hit last, 2nd of 4, 13l behind Elegant Escape (11-4) at Exeter 3m (2) hvy in Feb.
Knight Of Noir (IRE) 7-2 (11-0) Jumped well, led, jumped slowly 3rd, headed next, led again 6th, joined when left with advantage 4 out, stayed on strongly, won at Chepstow 3m (3) gs in Oct beating Duel At Dawn (11-0) by 3 1/2l, 7 ran.
Coo Star Sivola (FR) 6-4fav (11-8) Chased leaders, led before 4 out, clear from 3 out, kept on well, won at Exeter 3m hcp (3) sft in Feb beating Ice Cool Champs (11-6) by 14l, 7 ran.
Vintage Clouds (IRE) 5-2jfav (11-0) Led, pushed along before 4 out, headed before 3 out, led after 2 out, headed run-in, kept on and held towards finish, 2nd of 6, 2 3/4l behind Ballyoptic (11-3) at Wetherby 3m (1) hvy in Feb.
Vic De Touzaine (FR) 12-1 (11-12) Bad mistake 1st and pulled up, at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Feb.
Minella Daddy (IRE) 4-1 (10-6) Held up in touch, hit 6th and reminders chasing leaders after, went 2nd and slightly hampered 3 out, led approaching 2 out, mistake last, soon headed, held when not much room on rail run-in, hung badly left towards finish, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Regal Encore (11-5) at Ascot 3m hcp lst (1) sft in Feb.
Casse Tete (FR) 6-1 (10-8) In touch, chased leader from 2 out, kept on to lead run-in, kept on well, won at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Feb beating Kylemore Lough (11-12) by 5l, 7 ran.
Cogry 11-2 (10-13) Towards rear, badly outpaced 6 out, plugged on from 2 out, went 3rd place run-in, 3rd of 7, 18l behind Casse Tete (10-8) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Feb.
Eamon An Cnoic (IRE) 10-11fav (11-8) Jumped right, tracked leader, tracked new leader from 10th, challenged travelling well 2 out, led between last 2, went right last, ridden and hung left towards finish, held on, won at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp (3) hvy in Feb beating Holbrook Park (10-10) by 1/2l, 3 ran.
