held up, steady headway from 13th, driven approaching 3 out, soon outpaced by first two
led to 3rd, weakened and behind from 12th, pulled up after next
close up, led 7th, headed after 4 out, led again approaching next, drew clear when mistake last, easily
tracked leaders, mistake 2nd, went 2nd 13th, led narrowly after 4 out, headed approaching next, driven 2 out, no chance with winner
led 3rd to 7th, ridden and weakened from 15th
held up in rear, mistake 8th and 13th, 4th and no chance when not fluent 3 out, soon weakened
prominent until ridden and weakened from 15th, tailed off
A cracking contest in which only Go White Lightning can be safely left out of calculations. Swansea Bay is a progressive sort and turned in his best performance to date when handing out a beating to Gola Cher at Wincanton. He has more on in this grade, but he stays well and goes on any ground. Irish raider One Night Out made a successful debut over fences when accounting for a big field at Fairyhouse last month. A useful hurdler, he already looks like being a better chaser and can only improve, but this is a stiff test and a place looks the best he can hope for. Lucky Bay is going the right way, but it remains to be seen whether this sharper track brings out the best in him, while Newbury winner Iris Royal, has something to find with Bold Investor on their running over course and distance last month. The latter is unbeaten over fences and is sure to give a good account in this. However, he faces a couple of potentially smart rivals in Le Sauvignon and Jair Du Cochet. The latter has yet to be extended over fences and will take all the beating here, but Le Sauvignon gets the vote. Paul Nicholls' charge was a high class hurdler and had little more than a piece of work in disposing of some moderate rivals on his chasing debut. He lacks the experience of some of his rivals over fences, but he has the class to overcome that and can take this before going onto better things.
