in rear, mistake 9th, ridden and some progress after 11th, no impression 4 out, left poor 5th 2 out, tailed off
held up in rear, headway 11th, tracked leading pair on inside, going well before 3 out, left 1 length down in 2nd 2 out, weakened flat
chased leaders, hit 10th, still well there when fell 12th
always rear, not fluent 3rd, blundered badly 6th, went right after, tailed off
led, ridden and joined when narrowly headed approaching 2 out, half length down in 2nd when fell 2 out
chased leader until before 3 out, styed in 3rd until approaching next, no impression when left modest 3rd 2 out
chased leaders until weakened before 4 out, soon tailed off and eased
chased leaders, disputing close 3rd when hit 4 out, weakeend after next, left modest 4th and hit 2 out
chased leaders, went 2nd before 3 out, led approaching and narrow lead when left 1 length in front 2 out, kept on strongly from last
held up towards rear, mistake 6th, no progress from 4 out, tailed off
This is a fantastic end to the card and a very hard race to solve. Ian Williams won the contest last year with Weird Al and will be hopeful of following up with Othermix, who hasn't been with him long, but there are a couple of chasing debutants here capable of going to the top if their jumping holds up. Pick of them on this occasion may be TIME FOR RUPERT, who hasn't been outside the first three in three starts at the track. His most recent second to the top-class Big Buck's resulted in the handicapper rating him 166, a figure which if translated to this game would make him hard to beat. Mr Thriller has been spoken highly of by his trainer but, while we'd expect him to win races, there are two concerns in that he's shown a liking for genuinely soft ground in the past and hasn't brought his best to this venue. With that in mind perhaps Reve De Sivola, second to the unbeaten Peddlers Cross at the Festival, can take that spot again. He won a Grade Two hurdle on his reappearance last year and showed at Punchestown that he isn't ground-dependant. On that form he holds Quantitativeeasing although this brother to Asian Maze is capable of better still and adds depth to a fascinating contest.
Divers (FR) 4-1 (11-2) Held up towards rear, headway to go 3rd approaching 4 out, ridden after 2 out, switched left last, led flat, driven out, won at Carlisle 2m nov chs (3) gd in Oct beating Tara Royal (11-8) by 2l, 8 ran.
Hell's Bay (FR) 14-1 (11-5) In touch, headway to chase leaders 7th, blundered 14th and next, headway to 2nd 4 out disputed 2nd until soon after 2 out, weakened between last 2, 5th of 7, 29l behind Chicago Grey (11-8) at Cheltenham 3m nov chs (2) gd in Oct.
The Giant Bolster 5-2 (11-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd after 12th, led going well 3 out, jumped right 2 out and last, ridden clear flat, ran on well, won at Worcester 2m 7f nov chs (3) gd in Oct beating Bob 'n' You (11-0) by 11l, 5 ran.
Copper Sound 7-1 (11-6) Prominent, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened, 13th of 16, 38l behind Ishismart (10-13) at Uttoxeter 2m nov hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gd in Sep '09.
Mr Thriller (FR) 33-1 (11-12) Mid-division, outpaced 3 out, never dangerous, 15th of 24, 25l behind Buena Vista (10-1) at Cheltenham 3m lstd hcp hdl (1) gs in Mar.
Othermix (FR) 10-3 (11-3) Tracked leaders, driven to challenge approaching 2 out, soon every chance, kept on same place from last, 2nd of 7, 3 1/2l behind Radium (11-3) at Ascot 2m 3f beg chs (3) gd in Oct.
Quantitativeeasing (IRE) 7-1 (11-10) Held up towards rear, headway into 5th 4 out, 3rd when mistake 3 out, no extra from next, 7th of 12, 38l behind Reve De Sivola (11-10) at Punchestown 2m 4f nov hdl Grade 1 (1) gd in Apr.
Reve De Sivola (FR) 9-4fav (11-10) Tracked leaders on inner, 4th 4 out, not clear run from next and dropped to 7th 2 out, headway under pressure into 3rd approaching last, stayed on well to lead inside final 100 yards, edged right close home, won at Punchestown 2m 4f nov hdl Grade 1 (1) gd in Apr beating Fionnegas (11-10) by 1l, 12 ran.
Time For Rupert (IRE) 16-1 (11-10) Tracked leaders, headway to lead 3 out, joined by winner between last 2, headed narrowly last, soon ridden and kept on, no pace of winner, 2nd of 14, 3 1/2l behind Big Buck's (11-10) at Cheltenham 3m hdl G1 (1) gs in Mar.
Vino Griego (FR) 3-1 (11-2) Held up in touch, mistake 5th, driven next, soon behind, 5th of 7, 34l behind Chain Of Command (11-2) at Kempton 2m beg chs (4) gd in Oct.
