made all, drew clear from 3 out, stayed on well
held up, hit 5th, reminder after 6th, not fluent next, lost touch 10th, pulled up before 13th
ridden along at various stages, tracked winner until 11th, outpaced after 4 out, well held 3rd from next
held, up, not fluent 1st, hit 4th, headway 6th, chased winner 11th, no impression from 3 out
tracked leaders, ridden after 12th, soon lost touch
tracked leaders, took keen hold, fell 10th
held up, reminders after 6th, jumped slowly 8th and when losing touch next, pulled up before 10th
Sun Tzu will obviously be popular with two wins to his name and Peter Bowen in stellar form. However, both wins came in selling company and this is the gelding's first outing for the in-form Welsh handler. He may well sustain his improvement back over fences, having shown fair form in handicap company earlier in the campaign. Nevertheless, SUMNER is preferred. He's much improved in recent outings and and can perhaps be considered a little unlucky in a recent narrow defeat at Newton Abbot. Tony McCoy takes the ride again and the pair can gain compensation for that tight defeat. Mr Goofy, lightly-raced this year, looks next best if reproducing his Leicester success over Pontchartrain in March.
Sun Tzu (IRE) 5-1 (11-5) Made all, jumped well throughout, under pressure approaching 2 out, all out, won at Ffos Las 3m sell (5) gd in Apr beating Yetholm (11-1) by 3 1/2l, 7 ran.
Mr Goofy (IRE) 33-1 (12-0) In touch, lost place after 3rd, hit 10th and struggling, blundered next, soon behind, plugged on flat, 7th of 11, 32l behind Man From Highworth (11-3) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hts chs (5) gf in May.
Earcomesthedream (IRE) 40-1 (10-12) Held up, behind from 10th, tailed off, 4th of 5, 41l behind Paint The Clouds (11-5) at Towcester 2m 6f nov chs (4) gf in May.
Sumner (IRE) 9-2 (10-13) Held up in rear, moved into mid-division 5th, closed
Chosen Man (IRE) 25-1 (10-1) Always towards rear, pulled up before 4 out, in a race won by Betheholygobbs (10-13) at Thurles 3m hcp chs 0-102 sft in Jan, 17 ran.
Haoyunma (IRE) 11-2 (10-1) Led until 2nd, tracked winner until after 4 out, 4th and beaten approaching 2 out, one pace, 4th of 5, 12l behind Ajzal (11-12) at Towcester 2m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gf in May.
Wham Bang 20-1 (9-13) Tended to jump right, in rear, plugged on from 4 out, never in contention, tailed off, 5th of 15, 43l behind Ilewin Tom (10-10) at Chepstow 3m hcp chs 0-95 (5) gd in Apr.
