towards rear, not fluent 2nd, headway on outside before 7th, blundered next, mistake 11th, eased and pulled up before 12th
held up towards rear, steady headway from 8th, went 2nd 15th, led after 3 out, pressed 2 out, soon headed, well held by winner last
chased leaders, closed 12th, not fluent 14th, soon outpaced, rallied 3 out, challenged 2 out, soon led, clear before last, stayed on well
held up in rear, jumped right 7th, headway from 15th, 6th 3 out, jumped right 2 out, went 5th before last, never on terms
mid-division on inside, towards rear 9th, effort from 14th, 5th and no impression 2 out, went 4th before last, kept on, closed on 3rd flat
led, ridden and headed after 3 out, weakened before last
prominent, lost place 4th, pushed along after 10th, well behind 12th, pulled up before 13th
held up rear of mid-division, struggling before 14th, well beaten next, pulled up before 4 out
jumped left, towards rear, last pair and pushed along after 3rd, headway on outside before next, pushed along and outpaced before 15th, struggling before 4 out, well beaten 8th 3 out, tailed off
held up in rear, not fluent 6th, some headway 10th, chasing leaders on outside 13th, mistake and lost place 14th, well beaten 7th 3 out, pulled up before last
held up in mid-division, mistake and struggling 14th, well beaten when mistake 4 out, pulled up before last
mid-division, towards rear when mistake 8th, well behind 4 out, pulled up before last
chased leaders, ridden along in 3rd before 3 out, switched left before 2 out, well held before last
tracked leader, losing place when mistake 14th, soon behind, pulled up before last
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Commodore was first reserve for the Grand National but is more likely to run in this. The bold-jumping grey made all at Cheltenham in December on his sole start of the season and obviously goes well fresh, though has been raised 9lb. The top three in the weights all ran in the Grade 1 novices’ chase at this meeting last year. Empire Steel was pulled up but Espoir De Romay was leading when falling two out leaving Shan Blue to finish a distant second behind Chantry House. Christian Williams targets these valuable handicaps with his staying chasers and Cap Du Nord beat last week’s Scottish National runner-up Kitty’s Light in a Grade 3 at Kempton in February. Scene Not Herd is 6lb better off than when almost 14 lengths behind KILLER KANE at Sandown but should strip fitter today. However, he is trying this longer trip for the first time under Rules and the penny appears to have dropped with Colin Tizzard’s seven-year-old, who has only one below him in the weights. The yard also run Oscar Elite, who is still a maiden over fences but was a good third at Cheltenham just ahead of Tea Clipper.
Espoir De Romay (FR) 5-4fav (11-0) Kept wide tracking leading pair, went 2nd at 3rd, led 3 out, ridden and headed between last two, no extra in 3rd before the last, 3rd of 7, 4l behind Nuts Well (11-6) at Kelso 2m 7f lst (1) sft in Mar.
Shan Blue (IRE) 10-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, switched right before 4 out, effort to dispute 2nd 3 out, soon beaten, weakening when left 4th 2 out, lost 4th flat, 6th of 7, 31 3/4l behind Allaho (11-10) at Cheltenham 2m 5f (1) sft in Mar.
Sam Brown 6-1 (11-2) Raced very wide, chased leader, led after 4th until before 8th, chased leader until next, went 2nd again 11th, jumped slowly 13th, lost 2nd 5 out, soon ridden and weakened, poor 5th when pulled up before 4 out, at Haydock 3m 4f hcp (1) hvy in Feb.
Exelerator Express (FR) 16-5fav (11-5) Towards rear, some headway after 6 out, pushed along 5 out, weakened 3 out, 8th of 13, 20 3/4l behind Chirico Vallis (10-2) at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Tea Clipper (IRE) 12-1 (10-7) Chased leaders, mistake 6th, went 2nd 3 out, pushed along and dropped to 3rd before next until the last, weakened run-in, 4th of 24, 10 3/4l behind Corach Rambler (10-2) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (1) gs in Mar.
Wishing And Hoping (IRE) 40-1 (11-2) Led, pecked and headed 1st, prominent, lost place 7th, dropped to rear when pulled up before 12th, at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Oscar Elite (IRE) 22-1 (10-0) Mid-division out wide, jumped slowly 15th, headway chasing leaders, went 2nd before 2 out, every chance until winner quickened on inside final 150 yards, kept on pressing for 2nd, 3rd of 24, 2 3/4l behind Corach Rambler (10-2) at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (1) gs in Mar.
Adrimel (FR) 7-1 (10-11) Midfield, not fluent 5th, pushed along before 2 out, soon ridden, weakened 2 out, 9th of 15, 25 1/4l behind Coole Cody (11-2) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Grumpy Charley 16-1 (10-4) Always towards rear on inside, pushed along before 15th, soon struggling, tailed off and pulled up before 3 out, at Cheltenham 3m 1f hcp (1) gs in Mar.
Espoir De Teillee (FR) 40-1 (10-12) Always towards rear, 11th of 16, 29 1/2l behind Vienna Court (10-6) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Jan.
Cap Du Nord (FR) 13-2 (10-3) Soon towards rear, headway chasing leaders before 12th, 3rd going well before 3 out, went 2nd before 2 out, led 2 out, clear before last, stayed on strongly, won at Kempton 3m hcp (1) gs in Feb beating Kitty's Light (11-2) by 2 3/4l, 14 ran.
The Hollow Ginge (IRE) 12-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, lost place 4th, hampered 14th, not fluent 4 out, went remote 4th latter stages, 4th of 9, 23 1/2l behind Flegmatik (10-10) at Kempton 3m hcp (3) gd in Feb.
Killer Kane (IRE) 5-1 (11-0) Tracked leader, led going well before 2 out, 2 lengths ahead last, idled and hung badly left run-in, hung left again towards finish, kept on, won at Sandown 2m 4f hcp lst (1) gs in Mar beating Flic Ou Voyou (11-7) by 1 1/4l, 6 ran.
Didero Vallis (FR) 66-1 (10-8) Led, jumped big 7th, headed 9th, led again next, not fluent and headed 11th, led again next, joined 17th, led again next, headed 3 out, pushed along approaching 2 out, ridden after last, rallied gamely flat, 3rd of 20, 3 1/2l behind Chambard (11-1) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (2) sft in Mar.
Empire Steel (IRE) 5-4fav (11-11) Led, jumped right 3rd, joined when not fluent last, headed flat, held towards finish, 2nd of 4, 3/4l behind Potterman (11-12) at Kelso 3m 2f hcp (2) gd in Mar.
Commodore (FR) 7-1 (10-0) Jumped really well, made all, went clear 17th until given breather before 3 out, soon clear again, stayed on strongly, unchallenged, won at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Dec beating Mister Fogpatches (10-6) by 15l, 9 ran.
Mint Condition 33-1 (11-3) Mid-division, pecked 1st, headway to go prominent 3rd, pushed along 3 out, ridden before last, no extra from last, 5th of 20, 13 1/2l behind Chambard (11-1) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (2) sft in Mar.
Scene Not Herd (IRE) 3-1fav (11-8) Soon held up in 5th, gained a place at 6th, plugged on into modest 4th between last two, 4th of 6, 13 3/4l behind Killer Kane (11-0) at Sandown 2m 4f hcp lst (1) gs in Mar.
