held up towards rear, mistake 5th, headway before 9th, went 2nd before 4 out, led approaching and hit 2 out, soon headed, weakened run-in
chased leaders, not fluent 10th, outpaced 5 out, headway before and jumped right 3 out, ridden before last, kept on to lead towards finish
held up towards rear and keen, fell heavily 3 out
led, headed before 2 out, soon ridden, regained lead before last, kept on, headed towards finish
in rear, blundered 9th, headway before 3 out, ridden before next, kept on from last
mid-division, headway 4 out, soon ridden, weakened before last
held up in touch, hit 5 out, ridden and weakened before next
close up, ridden and weakened before 3 out
BOLD SIR BRIAN goes from strength to strength and finished a distance clear of his nearest rival at Musselburgh when completing a hat-trick last month. Upped 6lb for that success, Lucinda Russell's charge can continue his winning ways taking on handicappers for the first time. Chance Du Roy has been racing against stiffer opposition than this of late and November's Newbury winner is not easily dismissed, while Door Boy won in this grade at Perth last April but Tiger O'Toole is preferred having scored at Ludlow earlier this month. Saveiro has been in fine form but this is much tougher than the chase he won at Wetherby last month from an 11lb lower mark.
Bold Sir Brian (IRE) 11-10fav (11-8) Tracked leaders, not fluent 2nd, closed 9th, hampered and left 2nd 12th, soon led, clear after 3 out, easily, won at Musselburgh 2m 4f nov chs (3) gs in Feb beating Stopped Out (10-12) by 22l, 5 ran.
Chance Du Roy (FR) 16-1 (10-10) Led, headed 4 out, chased winner and kept challenging until dropped to 3rd and hit 2 out, weakened soon after, 4th of 12, 13l behind Massini's Maguire (10-13) at Ascot 3m hcp chs Listed (1) gs in Feb.
Pret A Thou (FR) 20-1 (10-8) Prominent, driven and lost place after 4th, weakened 4 out, 7th of 9, 36l behind Dream Esteem (11-4) at Chepstow 2m hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Feb.
Door Boy (IRE) 11-2 (10-9) Tracked leader, led 10th, in command flat, idled close home, won at Perth 2m 4f hcp chs 0-145 (2) gd in Apr beating Roudoudou Ville (11-6) by 3/4l, 10 ran.
Tiger O'Toole (IRE) 2-1fav (10-12) Held up towards rear, mistake 1st, headway from 5 out, went 2nd 4 out, led 2 out, kept on, won at Ludlow 2m 4f nov chs (3) gd beating U B Carefull (10-12) by 7l, 7 ran.
Saveiro (FR) 5-6fav (11-12) Behind, headway on inside and in touch 4th, driven in 4th approaching 3 out, driven and went 2nd after 3 out, stayed on same pace before last, 2nd of 8, 2 1/4l behind Zazamix (10-4) at Catterick 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Feb.
Latanier (FR) 40-1 (11-11) Tracked leaders on inside, mistake and lost place 8th, soon switched outside, behind from 12th, tailed off when pulled up before 16th, in a race won by Midnight Appeal (11-5) at Sandown 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Feb, 13 ran.
You Know Yourself (IRE) 12-1 (11-4) With leader, ridden after 4 out, outpaced from 2 out, joined for 4th on line, 4th of 8, 10l behind Cool Friend (11-5) at Sandown 2m 4f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gd.
El Lobo (FR) 3-1 (11-1) Led, headed approaching 4 out, chased leader until next, 3rd and well beaten when blundered badly next, 3rd of 6, 34l behind Oscar Gogo (11-7) at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp chs 0-130 (3) hvy in Dec.
