held up, jumped left 7th, closed before 13th, bad mistake 4 out, went 2nd before 2 out, challenging when left well clear at fence, eased into trot over line
chased leaders, not fluent 5th, jumped slowly 11th, closed before 13th, every chance 3 out, 3rd and weakening when left 2nd, swerved left to avoid faller and unseated rider 2 out
led until 1st, led 5th until 9th, jumped left and led 4 out, joined when fell 2 out
led 1st until 5th, led 9th, headed 4 out, weakened after next, remote 4th when blundered and left 2nd 2 out, mistake last
A P McCoy is a very interesting jockey booking for the ex-Paul Nicholls inmate TIGRE D'ARON. Now with Chris Gordon, the six-year-old will enjoy the ground and showed enough last year to suggests he can win races off this sort of mark. Muldoon's Picnic may struggle to complete the hat-trick under top weight but Strongbows Legend would be a danger if back to his best while Ballypatrick finally got off the mark at Fakenham in February. Dark Energy won twice at Market Rasen in the summer but has had his limitation exposed since.
Muldoon's Picnic (IRE) Evensfav (11-5) Jumped well, tracked leader, led 11th, came clear after 4 out, eased in closing stages, won at Southwell 2m 4f nov chs (4) gd in Jun beating Brady (10-12) by 11l, 3 ran.
Ballypatrick (IRE) 10-11fav (11-0) Tracked leader, led 11th, joined 4 out, ridden clear from 2 out, blundered last, comfortably, won at Fakenham 3m beg chase (4) gs in Feb beating Buck's Bond (11-0) by 13l, 6 ran.
Strongbows Legend 9-4fav (11-0) Tracked leader, weakened from 4 out, 7th of 12, 36l behind City Press (11-8) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gf in Jun.
Tigre D'aron (FR) 3-1 (11-12) Not fluent 1st, led, driven and headed approaching bypassed 2 out, kept on until weakened last, 4th of 6, 12l behind Lord Tomnoddy (11-8) at Ascot 3m nov hcp chs 0-120 (4) sft in Nov.
Dark Energy 20-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders in 3rd, led 6th, headed after 8th, weakened before 3 out, 4th of 5, 27l behind Double Ross (11-2) at Perth 2m 4f nov chs (3) gs in Sep.
