held up towards rear and in touch, chased leaders before 4 out, challenged 2 out, not fluent and every chance last, kept on and held towards finish
led, headed before 4 out, led again before 3 out, held on well towards finish, driven out
soon close up, led before 4 out, headed before 3 out, ridden before 2 out, every chance before last, no extra run-in
with leaders, weakened before 4 out
close up, outpaced 9th, ridden before last, soon weakened
held up towards rear, headway before 9th, ridden before last, no impression
in rear, pushed along after 8th, headway before 3 out, kept on to take 3rd place run-in
This looks wide-open, though it's difficult to be too enthusiastic over Falcon Island's recent form. Bally Legend had Jump City behind when beaten less than a length by Giorgio Quercus at Kempton and the pair meet on identical terms. Domtaline ran well for a long way on his reappearance at Sandown but Cornas is not the force of old and it's not certain that Bertie Boru will appreciate the drop in distance. TARA ROSE made no show over hurdles at Wincanton last month but her form over fences is hard to knock. She's only finished out of the first two once and is unlikely to be far away here either.
Domtaline (FR) 7-1 (10-12) Held up, mistake 1st, not fluent 9th, headway 12th, 3rd and one pace before 2 out, mistake last, lost 3rd close home, 5th of 9, 15l behind Kapga De Cerisy (11-4) at Sandown 2m 4f hcp chs 0-150 (2) sft in Nov.
Bally Legend 5-1 (11-12) Led, joined 3 out, soon narrowly headed, chased winner, driven before next, rallied to lead again narrowly last, headed and not quicken inside final 100 yards, 2nd of 7, 3/4l behind Giorgio Quercus (11-7) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Nov.
Jump City (FR) 7-2 (11-5) Tracked leader until before 8th, tracked leaders, pushed along and went 2nd again briefly before 3 out, every chance 3 out, ridden in 3rd before next, went left 2 out, driven and no extra before last, 3rd of 7, 6l behind Giorgio Quercus (11-7) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Nov.
Cornas (NZ) 14-1 (10-0) Tracked leading pair, went 2nd briefly before 5 out, soon ridden and no extra in 4th next, 4th of 6, 26l behind Sire De Grugy (11-12) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs (2) sft in Oct.
Falcon Island 12-1 (11-7) Mid-division, jumped slowly 2nd, lost place when not fluent and reminder next, behind 5th, mistake next, pulled up before 7th, in a race won by Rossini's Dancer (10-9) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Oct, 7 ran.
Tara Rose 7-1 (11-1) Mid-division in touch, outpaced after 3 out, weakened from next, 8th of 13, 29l behind Highland Retreat (11-0) at Wincanton 2m 6f mrs hcp hdl (2) gs in Nov.
Bertie Boru (IRE) 14-1 (11-1) Tended to jump left, took keen hold and held up in last pair, headway 4 out, chased leaders 3 out, went 3rd next, stayed on to 2nd at the last, no impression on winner, 2nd of 8, 2l behind Coole River (11-4) at Taunton 2m 7f nov hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd in Nov.
