chased leader, not fluent 3rd, closed after 4 out, led after next, ridden before 2 out, stayed on to draw clear flat
held up in last pair, not fluent 3rd, weakened after 3 out
tracked leaders, took keen hold, not fluent 6th, went 2nd after 3 out, driven and 1 length down when dived at last and made mistake, no impression flat
held up in last pair, not fluent 6th, weakened after 3 out, went modest from last
led, jumped right at times, clear before 3rd, headed after 3 out, weakened before next
AFFAIRE D'HONNEUR should have a nice confidence-booster in this before targeting some of the season's big handicaps again. Rated 133, he was fourth in the Betfair Hurdle and Imperial Cup in the spring and won't need to reproduce that form here to open his account. Graasten, useful on the Flat in his native Germany, only found one too good in a Plumpton maiden in February on his hurdling bow and should win races but Irish import Shadow Blue will be having his 11th start over timber and may not be progressing.
Affaire D'Honneur (FR) 9-2fav (10-10) Held up in rear, kept on into never nearer 4th run-in, never able to challenge, 4th of 14, 25 1/2l behind Flying Angel (10-10) at Sandown 2m hcp (1) sft in Mar.
Bar A Vilorbaine (FR) 14-1 (11-0) Held up in last trio, headway chasing leaders over 4f out, ridden and outpaced over 3f out, no chance with leading trio, 4th of 9, dist behind Canton Prince (11-0) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f (6) gd in Aug.
Graasten (GER) 11-4 (10-7) Raced freely, led, hard driven when challenged 2 out, headed before last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 14, 5l behind Baratineur (11-2) at Plumpton 2m mdn (4) sft in Feb.
Laoch Beag (IRE) 20-1 (11-0) Mid-division, headway on outside over 5f out, soon chased leaders, outpaced over 3f out, ridden and weakened 2f out, 7th of 11, 26 3/4l behind Red Square Revival (11-0) at Worcester 2m (6) gd in Sep.
Shadow Blue (IRE) 16-1 (11-9) Led, headed after 4th, lost place 6th, hit 3 out, soon behind, 15th of 16, dist behind Newton Geronimo (11-6) at Taunton 2m hcp (4) gd in Apr.
