chased leaders, led 2nd, headed 4th, led again 6th, ridden and headed approaching 4 out, soon outpaced
led to 2nd, remained close up and raced wide, led again approaching 4 out, clear from 3 out, easily
held up in rear, weakened after 9th, tailed off
held up, ridden and outpaced 10th, stayed on from 3 out, took 3rd flat, no impression
chased leaders, led 4th, headed 6th, chased leaders, weakened after 5 out
held up towards rear, not fluent 6th, never dangerous
chased leaders, lost place halfway, tailed off
in touch, hit 7th, weakened 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 4 out
mid-division, weakened 11th, tailed off
chased leaders, ridden and every chance approaching 4 out when blundered, one pace, no chance with winner
This looks a fascinating renewal of the Charlie Hall with plenty of classy performers among the 10 runners including Our Vic, Take The Stand and Kingscliff but preference is for Iris's Gift, who is taken to make a winning start for his new partner Dominic Elsworth. Tony McCoy rode the nine-year-old in all of his outings last term when Jonjo O'Neill's gelding failed to take to fences as much as was hoped but he is well treated on hurdles form as a result now and may be worth chancing, even in this company, off his current mark. It will be interesting to see what Neptune Collonges, who won over fences in France, achieves over the larger obstacles for Paul Nicholls having shown plenty of ability over hurdles last term and he has to be respected getting weight all round. Gold Cup placed but the difficult to win with Sir Rembrandt has ground conditions to suit more than classy stablemate Kingscliff, who may be best watched on his return today. Irish raider Church Island has ground conditions to suit but may be a shade high in the weights at present and of more interest may be Our Vic, although David Pipe's gelding has yet to prove that he stays this far and is not certain to do so. Take The Stand does stay the trip but the second Gold Cup placed gelding in the field is much better on a faster surface and he may struggle to contain Iris's Gift on this ground, provided that Jonjo O'Neill's gelding has improved in the jumping department.
Kingscliff (IRE) 12-1 (11-10) Mid-division, lost place 7th, no danger after, 10th of 22, 18l behind War Of Attrition (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f chs Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar.
Our Vic (IRE) 5-2jt-fav (11-1) Tracked leader, led 4th, headed approaching 12th, ridden to lead approaching 2 out, ridden clear, won at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp chs Grd 2 (1) gd in Apr beating Too Forward (10-4) by 8l, 7 ran.
Church Island (IRE) 6-1 (11-10) Prominent, 3rd halfway, ridden and dropped to 5th 4 out, soon no extra, pulled up before 2 out pulled up 2 out in race won by Olney Lad (10-11) at Punchestown 3m 1f nov hcp hdl gd in Apr, 9 ran.
Sir Rembrandt (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) Held up, headway 10th, ridden 11th, mistake 13th, soon outpaced, rallied 3 out, soon led, headed soon after last, hard ridden to lead close home, won at Uttoxeter 3m hcp chs 0-145 (2) gf in May beating See You Sometime (10-7) by a hd, 8 r.
Iris's Gift 16-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, pushed along 13th, weakening when not fluent next, behind when pulled up 5 out in race won by War Of Attrition (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f chs Grd 1 (1) gd in Mar, 22 ran.
Jaloux d'Estruval (FR) 3-1 (11-3) Keen, mid-division, headway 5th, led after 9th, hit 11th, clear 3 out, easily, won at Uttoxeter 3m hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy in May beating Three Lions (11-4) by 23l, 7 ran.
Jungle Jinks (IRE) 6-1 (10-11) Prominent, reminders 9th, weakened from 12th, tailed off when pulled up 2 out in race won by Kerry Lads (11-9) at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs 0-135 (3) hvy in Mar, 9 ran.
Royal Emperor (IRE) 50-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway 18th, led 5 out, ridden approaching 3 out, headed last, rallied flat, held near finish, 3rd of 30, 1/2l behind Run For Paddy (10-2) at Ayr 4m 1f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd in Apr.
Take The Stand (IRE) 7-4fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, went 2nd 3 out, led run-in, all out, won at Plumpton 3m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (3) gd beating Ballyhoo (9-11) by a hd, 8 ran.
Neptune Collonges (FR) 8-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, led approaching 2nd, headed after 2 out, weakened run-in, 3rd of 11, 6l behind Black Jack Ketchum (11-4) at Aintree 3m nov hdl Grd 1 (1) gs in Apr.
