tracked leading pair, 2nd before 5 out, soon challenging, led narrowly 2 out, headed and no extra final 110 yards
always in rear, ridden and beaten 5 out, plugged on into poor 4th near finish, never a factor
led, not fluent 2nd, narrowly headed 2 out, stayed challenging, rallied gamely under pressure to regain lead final 110 yards
tracked leading trio, lost place 4th, 3rd 5 out until approaching next, modest 3rd again just before last
chased leader until before 5 out, chased leaders, weakened soon after 5 out
held up in last pair, closer order tracking leading trio 4th, 3rd approaching 4 out, well held when blundered 2 out, weakened into 4th just before last, dropped to 5th close home
Dont Take Me Alive and Bennys Quest both hail from yards that have been among the winners lately. It wouldn't be a surprise to see either take this but Midnight Thomas will have to jump better than he did on his chase debut at Worcester to figure. LE GRAND CHENE (NAP) looks well treated on last year's form and there were hints of a revival in his latest fourth at Stratford. He gets 12lb from Ffos Las third Islandmagee and that can see Sophie Leech's charge back in the winner's enclosure.
Dont Take Me Alive 7-2 (11-4) Tracked leaders, mistake 7th, went 2nd 4 out, no extra from next, 3rd of 4, 18l behind Mister Wiseman (10-4) at Market Rasen 2m 2f hcp chs 0-120 (4) gs in Jul.
Bennys Quest (IRE) 9-1 (10-13) Held up in rear, mistake 7th, headway 4 out, no impression before last, last of 7, 25l behind Dealing River (11-2) at Worcester 2m hcp chs 0-120 (4) gd.
Islandmagee (IRE) 5-1 (10-10) Mid-division, tracked leaders in 3rd from 8th, went 2nd from 5 out, every chance 2 out, one pace and lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 7, 2 3/4l behind Strumble Head (11-12) at Ffos Las 2m 5f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Aug.
Surprise Us 22-1 (11-9) Prominent, jumped left and bumped rival 2nd, lost place when not fluent 3rd, ridden in 4th after 9th, no impression when mistake 4 out, weakened next, went 3rd 2 out, 3rd of 6, 24l behind Accessallareas (11-8) at Worcester 2m hcp 0-100 (5) gf.
Le Grand Chene (FR) 14-1 (10-3) Tracked leaders on outside, went 2nd 2 out until before last, no extra, 4th of 9, 13l behind Another Flutter (11-8) at Stratford 2m 1f hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd.
Midnight Thomas 8-1 (10-5) Held up towards rear, mistake 7th, headway after next, no impression 3 out, 7th of 10, 20l behind To The Sky (11-9) at Worcester 2m nov hcp chs 0-100 (5) gf in Aug.
Stafford Charlie 14-1 (10-0) Chased leading pair until 5th, behind from 7th, weakened under pressure 9th, tailed off, last of 5, well behind Marky Bob (11-12) at Newton Abbot 2m hcp 0-100 (5) gf in Jul.
