held up in touch, headway 4th to track leaders, led 3 out, clear before last on bit, soon shaken up, ran on strongly, eased towards finish
tracked leaders, led 4th, headed after 5 out, in 3rd and one pace when pecked last
with leaders, led after 5 out, headed 3 out, ridden before 2 out, kept on and no impression on winner
close up, led 2nd, collided with loose rail after 3rd, headed 4th, outpaced in 5th from 4 out, kept on from 3 out, no impression
in rear and mistakes early, pushed along after 9th, soon struggling, pulled up before 12th
towards rear, outpaced 5 out, went poor 4th from 2 out, well held in 4th when fell last
led to 2nd, mid-division, in 4th from 4 out and not fluent, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened
held up mid-division, weakened from 5 out
tracked leaders, lost place 10th, tailed off when pulled up before last
Djakadam and DON POLI finished second and third behind Don Cossack in the Cheltenham Gold Cup but Cue Card was alongside the winner when taking a tumble three out and looked certain to play a part in the finish. Bryan Cooper's mount was never going the pace and only stayed on past beaten horses up the straight but this will be run at a good gallop as Wakanda, as well as Cue Card, also likes to front-run and the supposed Mullins second-string beat Many Clouds here in December in a good trial for this. Irish Cavalier was never a factor in the Gold Cup and is better over shorter, a remark that may also apply to Taquin Du Seuil. Dynaste is not the force of old and Houblon Des Obeaux was the only one to handle the mud last time at Newbury while Saphir Du Rheu's jumping is a concern as he reverts to fences for the first time since his fifth when favourite in the Hennessy in November.
Cue Card 5-2 (11-10) Held up in touch, tracked leaders when not fluent 11th, headway after 4 out, upsides between rival pair and going well when fell 3 out, at Cheltenham 3m 2f (1) gd in Mar.
Djakadam (FR) 9-2 (11-10) Held up in touch, tracked leaders from 5th, disputed lead after 16th, led 4 out, joined next, driven and headed before 2 out, soon ridden, kept on same pace, no impression with winner in clear 2nd after, 2nd of 9, 4 1/2l behind Don Cossack (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f (1) gd in Mar.
Don Poli (IRE) 9-2 (11-10) Held up behind, struggling 16th, headway under pressure after 3 out, went 3rd from next, kept on, no chance with front pair, 3rd of 9, 14 1/2l behind Don Cossack (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f (1) gd in Mar.
Dynaste (FR) 20-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, well beaten after 4 out, stayed on flat, never on terms, 7th of 15, 20 1/4l behind Vautour (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f (1) gd in Mar.
Houblon Des Obeaux (FR) 3-1 (11-0) Tracked leaders, not fluent 1st, led 12th, hit 5 out, 15 lengths clear before 2 out, drew further clear after last, eased closing stages, easily, won at Newbury 2m 7f (1) sft in Feb beating The Giant Bolster (11-0) by 28l, 7 ran.
Irish Cavalier (IRE) 66-1 (11-10) In rear, struggling 14th, some headway under pressure 3 out, went modest 4th after next, never any chance with leaders, lost 4th post, 5th of 9, 21 1/2l behind Don Cossack (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m 2f (1) gd in Mar.
Saphir Du Rheu (FR) 11-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, outpaced after 3 out, weakening when mistake next, no danger after, 6th of 12, dist behind Thistlecrack (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m (1) gd in Mar.
Taquin Du Seuil (FR) 16-1 (11-10) Towards rear, pushed along briefly before 8th, blundered 4 out, no impression, stayed on flat, 6th of 15, 13 1/4l behind Vautour (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f (1) gd in Mar.
Wakanda (IRE) 12-1 (11-6) Tracked winner, pushed along when mistake and lost place 14th, struggling next, weakened 3 out (usual 4 out), tailed off when pulled up before last (usual 2 out), at Cheltenham 3m 1f (1) hvy in Jan.
