blundered 1st, outpaced in rear, not fluent 3rd, tailed off 9th, pulled up before next
prominent, chased winner 4th, 3 lenghts down when fell 4 out
chased leaders, steadied off pace when pecked 4th, went modest 3rd 12th, left 2nd 4 out, no chance with winner
made all, not fluent 7th, 3 lenghts ahead when left well clear 4 out, eased flat
in rear, mistake 3rd and 6th, went remote 3rd when hit 4 out, lost that position latter stages
in rear, reminders 5th, ridden after 11th, pressing for remote 3rd when hit 4 out, took that position latter stages
chased leaders early, reminders in rear 5th, tailed off 9th, pulled up before next
chased winner until 4th, lost ground on leading pair from 8th, weakened 12th, tailed off
CEDRUS LIBANI has already impressed over course and distance this season and is preferred to Predateur and Silver Adonis. The selection was a useful sort under Rules for his owner and looks capable of providing them with plenty of fun in this sphere. He had Predateur over fourteen lengths in arrears on that occasion and that one gave the form a boost when winning readily at Leicester on his next start. As well as Predateur did that day, it's hard to see why he, or second home Give Me Love, should reverse the form back over this course and distance. Silver Adonis has finished in the money in over half of his fifteen starts over fences and thus enters calculations as he has his first start in this sphere. Murphy's Cardinal is firmly in the veteran stage of his career but he retains his enthusiasm for the game and shouldn't be left out of calculations for this prize but it's difficult to look beyond Cedrus Libani.
Murphy's Cardinal (IRE) 2-1fav (12-6) Tracked leaders, led 9th, clear with winner 3 out, headed next, soon ridden, tired approaching last, lost 2nd and weakened flat, 4th of 9, 19l behind Moncadou (11-12) at Fontwell 3m 2f hts chs (4) hvy in Feb.
Predateur (FR) 2-1fav (11-13) Held up, headway after 2nd, led 5th, drew clear after 2 out, ridden out, won at Leicester 2m hts chs (6) gd beating Kinfayre Boy (11-9) by 8l, 9 ran.
Silver Adonis (IRE) 25-1 (10-0) Held up mid-division, weakened approaching 5 out, pulled up after 4 out, in a race won by Valley Ride (9-10) at Market Rasen 2m 6f listed hcp chs (1) gd in Sep, 15 ran.
Cedrus Libani (IRE) 6-5fav (11-12) Led until 8th, tracked leader until 11th and again after 13th, led after 4 out, reached for 3 out, clear last, ridden out, won at Ludlow 2m 4f hts chs (5) gs in Feb beating Give Me Love (11-5) by 13l, 9 ran.
Enitsag (FR) 20-1 (11-7) Held up in touch, mistake 6th, hampered bend after 10th and lost grond, ridden 13th blundered next, weakened after 4 out, 4th of 5, 9l behind Novi Sad (11-5) at Taunton 2m 7f hts chs (5) gf.
Give Me Love (FR) 33-1 (11-5) Soon behind, struggling 11th, no danger after, 6th of 8, 35l behind Blaze Ahead (11-9) at Towcester 2m 6f hts chs (6) gd.
Prelude d'Estruval (FR) 50-1 (11-5) Prominent until hampered 4th, weakened 7th, tailed off, 7th of 9, well behind Predateur (11-13) at Leicester 2m hts chs (6) gd.
Smart Boy Prince (IRE) 40-1 (11-0) Pulled hrd; made most 5-15; fdd bad bet last 2, 6th of 9, well behind Christy Beamish (11-0) at Bangor-on-dee 3m ptp gd.
