led until after 3rd, stayed prominent until mistake 2 out, weakened before last
held up in rear, pushed along briefly when closing after 3 out, led before last, driven and headed flat, 3rd and held final 75 yards
chased leader until after 2nd, stumbled soon after, tracked leaders, challenged before last, led flat, driven and stayed on well
held up, pulled hard, headway to track leader after 2nd, led after next, headed before last, soon weakened
held up behind leaders, challenged approaching last, every chance flat, stayed on, held towards finish
chased leader until after 2nd, last before and outpaced before next, went 4th and stayed on flat, no impression on front trio
PEACE AND CO (NAP), winner of the Triumph Hurdle in March, can advertise his claims for next year's Champion Hurdle by extending his unbeaten record. The second in the Triumph Hurdle, Top Notch, came within a neck of landing last month's Fighting Fifth - stablemate Hargam was third in March. Old Guard is much improved this season and on a hat-trick but is held by the selection on the form book and Willie Mullins' Sempre Medici is probably on a fact-finding mission with regard to some of the stable's bigger guns. Cheltenian is a cracking handicapper but could struggle against a couple of these off level weights and Melodic Rendezvous has never really fulfilled early potential.
Cheltenian (FR) 8-1 (11-12) Held up in rear, mistake 2nd, headway before 4 out, not fluent 2 out, 3rd when hampered last, no extra towards finish, 6th of 16, 8l behind War Sound (10-13) at Haydock 2m hcp (1) gs in May.
Hargam (FR) 5-2fav (11-6) Held up towards rear, headway 3 out, ridden run-in, kept on same pace, 4th of 8, 3 1/4l behind Devilment (10-12) at Cheltenham 2m (2) gd in Oct.
Old Guard 12-1 (11-3) In touch, headway after 2 out, challenged last, ridden to lead flat, kept on well, won at Cheltenham 2m hcp (1) gs in Nov beating Superb Story (10-1) by 2l, 17 ran.
Peace And Co (FR) 2-1fav (11-0) Tracked leaders, smooth headway and in touch 2 out, challenged towards stands side rail before last, ridden to lead flat, held on well, won at Cheltenham 2m 1f (1) sft in Mar beating Top Notch (11-0) by nk, 16 ran.
Sempre Medici (FR) 11-4fav (9-7) Chased leaders, ridden in 4th 2f out, 5th 1f out, kept on without threatening leaders to go 3rd close home, 3rd of 11, 2l behind Shadagann (8-12) at Curragh 1m 4f hcp gf in Jun.
Melodic Rendezvous 7-1 (11-3) Led to 2nd, ridden before last, kept on same pace and no impression, 3rd of 4, 9 1/4l behind Irving (11-3) at Haydock 2m (2) sft in Nov.
