always towards rear, never on terms, tailed off and pulled up 2 out
chased leading pair, 2nd before 2 out, led last, hung left run-in, driven out
tracked leader, led after 6th, clear 10th until after 3 out, not fluent next, headed last, no extra run-in
always behind, tailed off 10th
chased leaders, lost place 10th
held up towards rear, headway 10th, chased leaders next, 3rd 2 out, challenged last, went 2nd run-in, soon carried left and slightly hampered, stayed on
behind, pulled up approaching 8th
led until after 6th, chased leader until before 2 out, weakened soon after
prominent early, soon towards rear, driven in 6th and no impression after 3 out, plugged on into modest 4th last
tracked leaders on inside, weakened after 10th
mid-division, ridden and outpaced 4 out, plugged on approaching 2 out where not fluent
Voix D'eau was raised 8lb after beating three rivals at Ffos Las but Mikey Legg's claim takes care of most of that. Vikekhal seems to have taken to fences and is on a hat-trick, though is upped in grade for this. Mont Royale is proving hard to win with but Anatol is completely unexposed and an absence is rarely a problem for one from his yard. ASTIGOS could be interesting from near the foot of the weights as his stable won this last year. The eight-year-old was only beaten a neck in a very competitive handicap at Cheltenham in January and also went close around here a couple of months earlier so gets a tentative vote. Padge tackles fences for the first time but was lightly raced and progressive over hurdles last winter and is one to note for future reference.
Exitas (IRE) 13-2 (11-5) Chased leaders, weakening when blundered 3 out, tailed off, last of 10, dist behind Silsol (11-12) at Newbury 2m 3f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Padge (IRE) 5-1 (10-6) Tracked leading pair, hit 6th, 2nd after 3 out, driven and no impression before 2 out, eased when well held towards finish, 2nd of 7, 6l behind Unique De Cotte (10-3) at Ascot 2m 3f hcp (2) sft in Feb.
Anatol (FR) (10-12) won at Toulouse 2m 1f sft in Mar beating Peppino (10-10) by 8l, 9 ran.
Nathans Pride (IRE) 16-1 (11-12) Keen tracked leader 2nd, ridden 3 out, soon lost place, 8th of 9, dist behind Forthefunofit (11-1) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp (2) sft in Feb.
Gun Shy (IRE) 4-1 (11-5) Chased leader, ridden before 3 out (normal 2 out), no impression before last, weakened flat, last of 5, 34l behind Minella Present (10-12) at Fontwell 2m 1f (4) gs in Jun.
Voix D'Eau (FR) 11-8fav (11-4) Settled in rear, headway 6 ouy, led before 4 out, 8 lengths clear 2 out, easily, won at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Oct beating Henllan Harri (11-10) by 13l, 4 ran.
Mont Royale 6-1 (11-5) Tracked leaders, closed 4 out, not fluent next, 2nd and jumped left 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on, unable to get back to winner, 2nd of 5, 1 1/4l behind Gone Too Far (11-2) at Warwick 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Sep.
Vikekhal (FR) 7-2fav (11-8) Made all, drew clear before 3 out, driven out, eased towards finish, comfortably, won at Fontwell 2m 3f hcp (4) gd in Oct beating Zarawi (10-7) by 7l, 5 ran.
Astigos (FR) 13-2fav (10-4) Held up on inside, headway 10th, pushed along 14th, mistake 4 out, lost place before 2 out, 6th of 12, 17 3/4l behind Virak (11-12) at Haydock 3m hcp (2) sft in Apr.
Le Fin Bois (FR) 3-1fav (11-8) Held up towards rear, pecked on landing 6th, headway 4 out, ridden before 2 out, kept on under pressure to join 2nd near finish, no threat to winner, 2nd of 7, 4 1/2l behind Walden Prince (11-7) at Huntingdon 2m hcp (4) gd in Oct.
King Alfonso 7-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, mistake 3rd, ridden to challenge 4 out, never a threat, 3rd of 4, 14l behind Voix D'eau (11-4) at Ffos Las 2m 3f hcp (3) gd in Oct.
