held up in rear, not fluent 9th, steady headway from 12th, mistake 4 out, stayed on one pace, mistake last
mid-division, blundered 5th, headway 10th, hit 13th, left 2nd 4 out, went right and mistake 3 out, 3 lengths down last, led flat, stayed on well
in rear, not fluent 1st, hit 6th and 7th, not fluent 13th, behind 15th, mistake 4 out, tailed off
held up, not fluent 3rd, headway 10th, went 2nd next, challenging when stumbled and unseated rider 4 out
led, not fluent 2nd (water), clear 5th until after 10th, pressed when hit 4 out and left clear, 3 lengths up last, headed flat, no extra
in rear, pushed along after 8th, last from 13th, pulled up before 15th
tracked leaders, jumped slowly 2nd (water), went 2nd 6th until 8th, left 3rd 4 out, stayed on same pace, mistake last
prominent, mistake 1st, pushed along after 3rd, soon lost place, hit 7th, 8th and 10th, behind 15th, rider trying to avoid jockey on floor when unseated after 4 out
prominent, jumped slowly and lost place 11th (water), struggling from next, plugged on from 4 out, hit 2 out, no impression
The fast ground and sharp track will suit trail-blazer Gunship but he continues to race off a career-high mark and may prefer a slightly shorter trip. Timpo looked unlucky on a couple of occasions last season and can't be ignored but The Duke's Speech is hard to win with while Sarika has something to prove back in this country. Papradon won at Worcester in August but, like Foreign King, isn't reliable so we'll stick with ITZACLICHE who certainly wasn't winning out of turn at Cartmel in August and is only 3lb higher today.
The Duke's Speech (IRE) 11-1 (11-12) Held up in last, went 4th after 10th, not fluent 14th, ridden after 4 out, weakened next, 4th of 6, 47l behind Inishrush (10-12) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf.
Foreign King (USA) 16-1 (10-12) Held up in last pair until unseated rider 2nd, in a race won by Sadler's Star (10-12) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf, 6 ran.
Timpo (FR) 11-4fav (11-5) Tracked leaders, lost place 8th, ridden after 10th, lost touch and pulled up before 16th, in a race won by Arnold Layne (11-7) at Warwick 3m 5f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in Mar, 6 ran.
Sarika (FR) (10-3) 5th of 9, 4 1/2l behind Kotkidy (10-5) at Dieppe(FR) 2m 5f chs hvy in Sep.
Gunship (IRE) 6-1 (10-10) Led until brought down 6th, in a race won by Sadler's Star (10-12) at Wincanton 2m 5f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf, 6 ran.
Itzacliche (IRE) 11-2 (9-12) Disputed 3rd, outpaced 15th, went 2nd 4 out, soon challenged, ridden after last, wide entering straight, led inside final furlong, kept on, won at Cartmel 3m 6f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs in Aug beating Wor Rom (10-8) by 1l, 7 ran.
Papradon 7-2 (11-5) Held up, headway 8th, ridden after 13th, weakened approaching 2 out, 3rd of 6, 28l behind Inishrush (10-12) at Uttoxeter 3m hcp chs 0-105 (4) gf.
Mac Halen (IRE) 12-1 (10-9) Chased leaders, left 4th at 8th, weakened 13th, tailed off, 6th of 9, 21l behind Or Sing About (11-4) at Plumpton 3m 2f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gf in Sep.
Feeling Peckish (USA) 18-1 (9-7) Prominent, ridden before 12th, weakening when hit 5 out, pulled up before next, in a race won by Wide Receiver (10-7) at Wetherby 2m 6f hcp chs 0-95 (5) gs, 11 ran.
