prominent, not fluent 3rd, led 7th, headed next, led 10th, clear 4 out, ridden out, reduced lead towards finish
tracked leaders, hit 12th, not fluent and lost place next, mistake 17th, weakening 11th 5 out
mid-division, mistake 5th, hit 13th and struggling after, mistake 17th, pulled up before 5 out
mid-division, in touch after 6th, close up 13th, 2nd 5 out, 3rd and no extra from 2 out
tracked leaders, disputing 5th 5 out, weakened 3 out
chased leaders, mistake and lost place 8th, effort on outside when not fluent 14th, disputing 5th 5 out, weakened 3 out
towards rear, pushed along 6th, remote 12th 5 out, soon pulled up
mid-division, closed 4th, mistake 14th, losing place in 10th 5 out, pulled up before 3 out
mid-division, headway from 13th, not fluent 17th, 7th 5 out, weakened from next
chased leaders, not fluent 5th, lost place and pulled up after next
towards rear, blundered 2nd, well behind 17th, pulled up after
in rear, struggling 13th, mistake 15th, remote 14th 5 out
in rear, not fluent 7th, mistake 10th, 9th 5 out, plugged on, no impression
prominent, ridden after 17th, 3rd 5 out, no extra before 2 out, mistake last
chased leaders, lost place before 3rd, in rear 12th, well behind in 15th 5 out, soon pulled up
towards rear, headway before 14th, 4th 5 out, no extra from 3 out
towards rear, some headway 15th, remote 13th 5 out
mid-division, headway before 12th, lost place 15th, pulled up before 17th
chased leaders, lost place after 6th, 8th 5 out, stayed on from 4 out, 2nd before 2 out, no impression on winner but finished well to close gap from last
led until 7th, led 8th until 10th, reminder before 12th, lost place 13th, pulled up after 15th
Native River idled on the run-in when just holding off CAROLE’S DESTRIER in the Hennessy at Newbury with stablemate and subsequent Cheltenham winner Theatre Guide eighth. Meeting the runner-up on the same terms, most will expect Colin Tizzard’s smart stayer to confirm that running as the longer trip will be no problem bearing in mind the top weight was second in last season’s National Hunt Chase. But Neil Mulholland’s charge should have improved for his run at Newbury and could be the value today. Bishops Road was a fair fourth in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on his reappearance while Mountainous will have been targeted at a third win in this in four years so we can discount his Sandown effort. Firebird Flyer won the Midlands Grand National in March and was second in this last year so is much respected. Royale Knight is another stout stayer near the foot of the weights while Baie Des Iles has shown plenty of staying power and Ross O’Sullivan’s mare is only five.
Native River (IRE) 7-2fav (11-1) Led 2nd until after 5th, front rank after, challenged 3 out, led again before last, clear when idled and driven run-in, held on, won at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Nov beating Carole's Destrier (10-8) by 1/2l, 19 ran.
Bishops Road (IRE) 20-1 (11-11) Held up towards rear, headway before 4 out, ridden before last kept on same pace, 4th of 9, 9l behind Otago Trail (11-3) at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp lst (1) sft in Nov.
Viconte Du Noyer (FR) 10-1 (11-7) Mid-division, closed 8th, hampered next, mistake 11th, struggling 3 out, 12th of 22, dist behind Vieux Lion Rouge (10-9) at Aintree 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Dec.
Houblon Des Obeaux (FR) 33-1 (11-7) In rear and mistakes early, pushed along after 9th, soon struggling, pulled up before 12th, at Aintree 3m 1f (1) gs in Apr.
Theatre Guide (IRE) 15-2 (11-4) Held up in touch in mid-division, not fluent 3rd, headway 14th, 2nd 17th, driven in 3rd and edged left after 2 out, closed last, stayed on well to challenge flat, led post, won at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (1) gd in Dec beating Perfect Candidate (11-2) by ns, 12 ran.
Vicente (FR) 12-1 (10-11) Raced widce towards rear, steady headway chasing leaders 14th, pushed along after 17th, weakened before next, struggling and behind when fell 2 out, at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Nov.
Harry Topper 15-2 (11-10) Held up in last pair, headway on outside approaching 9th, mistake and dropped to rear 10th, rallied chasing leaders approaching 4 out, struggling when mistake and weakened next, 5th of 6, 22l behind Coneygree (11-5) at Newbury 3m (1) sft in Feb.
Katkeau (FR) 20-1 (11-6) Tracked leaders and fell 1st, at Newcastle 2m 7f hcp lst (1) sft in Nov.
Carole's Destrier 25-1 (10-8) Held up towards rear of mid-division, headway chasing leaders before 16th, went 2nd run-in and closed on idling winner near finish, just held, 2nd of 19, 1/2l behind Native River (11-1) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) gs in Nov.
Onenightinvienna (IRE) 5-6fav (11-7) Made all, pushed along before 2 out, kept on well, won at Carlisle 3m (2) gd in Nov beating Seldom Inn (10-13) by 1 3/4l, 2 ran.
Milansbar (IRE) 16-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, ridden before 5 out, soon outpaced, no impression 3 out, rallied to take modest 4th near finish, 4th of 14, 18 1/2l behind Lamb Or Cod (10-11) at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Unioniste (FR) 16-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, lost place 4 out, weakened from next, 10th of 17, 29 1/2l behind Viconte Du Noyer (11-2) at Cheltenham 3m 3f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Baie Des Iles (FR) 25-1 (10-3) Tracked leader in 2nd, slight mistake 4 out, ridden from 3 out, weakened, 12th of 16, 24l behind Jury Duty (10-4) at Navan 2m 7f hcp Yielding - Soft in Nov.
Beg To Differ (IRE) 20-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, outpaced after 13th, weakened 5 out, tailed off, 10th of 14, dist behind Lamb Or Cod (10-11) at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gd in Dec.
Mountainous (IRE) 25-1 (11-8) Always behind, pushed along and struggling after 4 out, tailed off, pulled up before last, at Sandown 3m 5f hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Firebird Flyer (IRE) 8-1 (11-12) In rear, headway after 4 out, soon chased winner, no impression, 2nd of 6, 13l behind Three Faces West (11-6) at Haydock 3m hcp (2) hvy in Nov.
Royale Knight 13-2 (11-12) Towards rear, headway 4 out, one pace and no impression in 6th from next, 4th of 12, 17 1/4l behind Harry The Viking (10-6) at Kelso 4m hcp (3) gs in Dec.
Goulanes (IRE) 13-2fav (10-3) Held up behind, steady headway on inside 18th, tracked leaders 4 out, challenged on inside between last 2, led when hit last, ridden out flat, won at Uttoxeter 4m 1f hcp lst (1) gs in Mar beating Alpha Victor (10-0) by 2 1/2l, 16 ran.
Raz De Maree (FR) 16-1 (10-10) Led, mistake and headed 4th, 4th 5 out, ridden after next, no impression from 3 out, 7th of 25, 14 3/4l behind Empire Of Dirt (11-8) at Navan 3m hcp Yielding - Soft in Nov.
Emperor's Choice (IRE) 16-1 (11-11) In touch, weakened before 3 out, 8th of 12, dist behind Harry The Viking (10-6) at Kelso 4m hcp (3) gs in Dec.
