led after 2nd, ridden and headed after 3 out, 3rd and held when fell next
in touch, headway after 5th, effort and not fluent 2 out, soon ridden, 2 lengths 2nd and looked held when left clear last
behind until brought down 6th
behind from 4th, tailed off and pulled up before last
always towards rear, tailed off from 6th
chased leaders until weakened after 5th, tailed off
in touch, ridden after 3 out, one-paced
chased leaders until weakened after 5th, tailed off and pulled up before 2 out
chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, kept on same pace, left 3rd last
behind when brought down 6th
led till after 2nd, chased leader until weakened 5th, tailed off
held up in touch, headway approaching 5th, led after 3 out, looked winner when ran out last
A winner on the flat and over hurdles for trainer Ellie Lellouche in France, Royal Ceti makes his British debut for Martin Pipe here. Penalised for his win at Auteuil, the son of Garde Royale faces no easy task giving weight away all round. Pipe is also represented by German flat race winner Ishandraz who looks the stable second string on jockey bookings. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained Master Papa was a useful performer on his day on the level in Ireland and did win a maiden hurdle at Thurles when trained by Kevin Prendergast. However, he looks more exposed than most of his rivals and is one to have reservations about on his first start for new connections. Tom George's Polish import Somerton is probably better than he showed when pulled up behind Saitensohn at Newbury on his first start in this country, while Quedex will find this tougher than the seller in which he finished second in at Hereford on his hurdling debut. The Philip Hobbs-trained Shalako, who had some good form on the flat in Germany, made a winning start to his career in this country when beating Spring Dawn at Taunton but was disappointing at Ascot behind Kopeck last time. That performance tempers enthusiasm for the son of Kingmambo and it might be worth giving Oracle Des Mottes one more chance. The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding made an encouraging start to his career in this country when finding just Do L'Enfant D'Eau a head too good at Hereford. Although seemingly below that form when third to Its Wallace Jnr at Wincanton subsequently, that was still a decent effort in the context of this race and, at the forecast odds, the four-year-old looks worth a bet in receipt of weight from his older rivals.
