chased leaders, hampered 7th, challenging and disputing 2nd when blundered 2 out, one pace from last
held up and keen, headway approaching 3 out, led approaching and blundered last, headed flat, kept on
led 3rd, left in lead 7th, headed 10th, upsides 4 out, weakened after 2 out
chased leaders, joined leader 8th, led 10th, ridden and headed after 2 out, no extra flat
held up towards rear, not fluent 10th weakened next
held up mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, led after 2 out, soon ridden, headed approaching last, soon weakened
with leader, led 3rd, blundered and headed 7th, pushed along approaching 11th, mistake last, kept on same pace
held up in touch, bumped 7th, challenged 4 out, ridden approaching 3 out, led flat, stayed on towards finish
blundered and unseated rider 2nd
mid-division, lost place from 12th
held up, mistake 2nd, fell 4 out
held up towards rear, weakened from 5 out, tailed off when pulled up before last
VOY POR USTEDES taught Master Minded a lesson over this course and distance when last seen and Alan King's gelding gets the vote to land this year's renewal at the main expense of last-year's winner Monet's Garden, the consistent Exotic Dancer, and the improving Oslot. A terrific spectacle here as a bigger field than last year contests this top prize. Alan King has his horses in fine form and Voy Por Ustedes is a horse on the up. Unexposed over this trip, he handles any ground and although he perhaps needed his run slightly last season, the hope is that he will be straight enough today. Monet's Garden has ideal conditions and let us not forget that he put superstar Kauto Star in his place in this race last season, Oslot won the Galway Plate and is improving rapidly it appears so cannot be ruled out, whilst in years gone by Exotic Dancer would have been a Gold Cup winner but for Kauto Star and Denman and friends. Cloudy Lane was the favourite for last season's Grand National and ran so well in sixth considering his relative inexperience. A fly in the ointment could be Ungaro. Despite doubts over this shorter trip and being 4lbs out of the weights, the best time to catch Keith Reveley's gelding is first time up. He could be the value; however we will side with the fellow Sir Robert Ogden-owned gelding Voy Por Ustedes to defy top-weight.
Voy Por Ustedes (FR) 5-1 (11-10) Held up, chasing leaders when mistake 4 out, disputed lead approaching 3 out, led 2 out, soon clear, won at Aintree 2m 4f chs Grd 1 (1) gd in Apr beating Master Minded (11-10) by 18l, 6 ran.
Exotic Dancer (FR) 6-1 (11-10) Held up in touch, mistake 10th, headway 12th, hit next, chased leading pair from 15th, one pace, 3rd of 5, 14l behind Our Vic (11-10) at Aintree 3m 1f chs Grd 2 (1) gs in Apr.
Monet's Garden (IRE) 4-1fav (11-6) Close up, under pressure from 7th, soon struggling, 6th of 11, 20l behind Andreas (11-2) at Sandown 2m chs Grd 2 (1) gd in Apr.
Mister McGoldrick 14-1 (11-10) Chased leaders, hit 9th, soon weakened, 5th of 6, 49l behind Voy Por Ustedes (11-10) at Aintree 2m 4f chs Grd 1 (1) gd in Apr.
Cloudy Lane 7-1jt-fav (10-11) Mid-division, outpaced 5 out, rallied and effort approaching 2 out, no impression after, 6th of 40, 33l behind Comply Or Die (10-9) at Aintree 4m 4f Grand National (1) gd in Apr.
Oslot (FR) 11-4fav (10-13) Always prominent, led travelling best before 2 out, clear from last, stayed on well under pressure final furlong, won at Galway 2m 6f hcp chs gs in Jul beating Oodachee (9-11) by 4l, 22 ran.
Snoopy Loopy (IRE) 10-1 (11-12) Prominent, led 4th, ridden and headed last, rallied to lead flat, won at N Abbot 2m 5f lst hcp chs (1) gd in Aug beating Roby De Cimbre (10-2) by 1 1/2l, 13 ran.
Knowhere (IRE) 12-1 (11-0) Chased leaders, lost place after 18th, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Monkerhostin (10-13) at Sandown 3m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd in Apr, 19 ran.
Nozic (FR) 7-2 (11-12) Blundered 2nd, chased leaders, challenged 11th, led 12th, hard driven and stayed on from 2 out, caught final 50 yards, 2nd of 11, nk behind Madison Du Berlais (11-5) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) sft in Mar '07.
Regal Heights (IRE) 50-1 (11-12) Towards rear, tailed off when pulled up at the 8th in race won by Mister McGoldrick (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gs in Mar, 22 ran.
Ungaro (FR) 10-1 (10-10) Never going well in rear, mistakes 12th and 16th, soon well behind, 15th of 19, well behind Monkerhostin (10-13) at Sandown 3m 5f hcp chs Grd 3 (1) gd in Apr.
Le Toscan (FR) 25-1 (11-4) Tracked leaders, reminders 3rd, lost place 7 out, no extra from before 4 out, weakened and pulled up 2 out in race won by Scotsirish (11-10) at Punchestown 2m 5f nov hcp chs gd in Apr, 24 ran.
