prominent, lost place 13th, effort final bend, no impression and weakened 4 out, pulled up before last
always prominent, led 4 out, hard pressed thereafter, driven flat, just holding 2nd close home
chased leaders, slow 1st, not fluent and lost place 2nd, not fluent 4th, mistake 5th, some headway after 10th, closed 14th, challenged from 2 out, disputing lead flat, bumped towards finish, just held close home
took keen hold, mid-division, in touch 7th, challenged 2 out, hung left before last, edged left and bumped rival flat, 3rd and held close home
chased leaders, lost place 2nd, closed from 14th, weakened before last
towards rear, ridden and well beaten before 4 out, tailed off
mid-division, not fluent 7th, ridden and struggling 10th, pulled up before 12th
jumped right, led 2nd, mistake 14th, headed 4 out, weakened from 2 out
held up in rear, headway on outside before 4 out, 4th and held last, no extra flat, lost 4th close home
led 1st, headed 2nd, stayed handy, mistake 4 out, weakened 3 out, pulled up before last
held up in rear, mistake and rider lost iron briefly 11th, headway 2 out, went 4th close home, never dangerous
I See You Well has been a grand servant down the years but usually needs a run or two. Copperhead hasn’t won for a long time but was second on his reappearance at Fontwell. Any News enjoyed a walk over at Wetherby last week and has a poor strike-rate but Northern Poet ended the last campaign with a hat-trick and Sam Barton is capable if in the mood. Manothepeople was in good form around this time last year but there is likely to be more to come from Lounge Lizard this term and today’s ground should be ideal. Iberio could also figure if taking to fences but the novice SNIPE beat two previous winners at Southwell so has plenty of potential.
Back On The Lash 22-1 (10-2) Chased leaders, weakened and hit 23rd, tailed off when hit 24th canal turn, tailed off and pulled up before 4 out, at Aintree 4m 2f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Any News (IRE) (11-2) won at Wetherby 3m hcp (3) gd in Oct.
Manothepeople (IRE) 9-1 (10-4) Jumped right a few times, prominent, led and mistake 2nd, headed 7th, led after 9th, headed 15th, led 16th, headed after 4 out, weakened and pulled up before 2 out, at Ayr 4m hcp (1) gd in Apr.
Lounge Lizard 3-1 (11-6) Went prominent 2nd, led next, headed 5th, led 11th, not fluent 14th or 15th, headed 2 out, weakened last, 3rd of 11, 20 1/4l behind Kinondo Kwetu (12-0) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in May.
Sam Barton 16-1 (11-10) Close up early, jumped up to dispute 4th, lost ground 4 out, pulled up before 3 out, at Haydock 3m 2f hcp (2) gs in Apr.
I See You Well (FR) 22-1 (11-8) Held up in rear, stayed on from 4 out, went 2nd flat, no impression on winner, 2nd of 11, 10l behind Landofsmiles (11-6) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp (3) gd in May.
Northern Poet (IRE) 5-2fav (11-11) Chased leaders on inside, pushed along before 12th, switched right before 2 out, chased leader between last two, led approaching last, driven clear, won at Warwick 3m hcp (4) gd in Apr beating Henschke (11-5) by 5 1/2l, 7 ran.
Copperhead 7-2 (11-3) Jumped right, prominent until 1st, chased leaders, bumped 2nd, 3rd and closing on winner 2 out, went 2nd after last, stayed on, unable to challenge, 2nd of 6, 2l behind Sacre Coeur (11-4) at Fontwell 2m 6f Grp 2 hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Snipe (IRE) 9-4 (11-4) Held up in last, not fluent 12th, went third going best approaching 3 out, shaken up before 2 out, soon led, went clear flat, readily, won at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gs in Oct beating Swapped (11-12) by 2 3/4l, 5 ran.
Pontresina (IRE) 33-1 (11-1) Tracked winner, led after 7th, flattened 6th, lost 2nd 2 out, plugged on in 3rd, weakened into remote 4th run-in, 4th of 6, 22 1/2l behind San Pedro (10-2) at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp (4) gd in May.
Iberio (GER) 5-2 (12-0) Tracked leaders, not fluent 4th, towards rear 6th, pushed along before 4 out, soon lost touch, 4th of 7, 34l behind Ramo (11-5) at Newton Abbot 3m 2f hcp (4) sft in Apr.
