jumped right, prominent, led 11th, headed off home bend, led again 4 out, headed when blundered 3 out, soon weakened, pulled up before last
held up in rear, mistake 4th and 5th, headway 12th, ridden 4 out, weakened 2 out
led until 3rd, led 5th, headed next, led after 8th, headed 11th, lost place before 4 out
held up towards rear, closed 4th, going well 4 out, led 3 out, clear next, eased inside final 100 yards
tracked leaders, not much room and lost place 2nd, mistake 7th, headway 12th, led off last bend, not fluent and headed 3 out, weakening in 3rd last
prominent, led 3rd, headed 5th, led 6th until after 8th, not fluent 12th, weakened 2 out
in touch in mid-division, outpaced after 13th, plugged on from 3 out, went 2nd approaching last, flattered by proximity to winner
Ballyarthur has won his last two but has gone up a further 9lb and appears much better on ground with some give. It’s too soon to write off ROCKLANDER, despite a fall last time at Aintree. These fences are also unforgiving but he’d run well at Cheltenham in March over this trip and is only 3lb higher. Beggar's Wishes got back to winning ways at Market Rasen, when a subsequent winner was third, but may struggle to defy a 5lb rise. Cracking Find is just as interesting as he’d beaten small fields at Catterick and Carlisle before coming unstuck at Ayr, though was well beaten in a couple of starts here over the brush hurdles.
Rocklander (IRE) 7-1 (11-2) Mid-division, fell 8th, at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (1) sft in Apr.
Ballyarthur (IRE) 5-2 (11-8) Chased leader until after 2nd, handy 3rd, left in 2nd place 9th, challenged 3 out, led and hit next, hit last, stayed on well to go clear run-in, won at Perth 2m 4f hcp (3) sft in Apr beating Bollin Ace (11-6) by 8l, 6 ran.
Midnight Shot 9-1 (11-11) Prominent, led after 3rd until next, lost place after 6th, behind when jumped slowly 8th, never dangerous after, 6th of 11, 32 1/2l behind Silverhow (10-11) at Sandown 2m 4f hcp (2) gs in Apr.
Beggar's Wishes (IRE) 15-8 (11-2) Tracked leader, not fluent 9th, challenged 3 out, led before last, edged left when clear flat, driven out, won at Market Rasen 2m 5f hcp (3) hvy in Apr beating Remind Me Later (10-12) by 2 1/2l, 4 ran.
Cracking Find (IRE) 20-1 (10-11) Made most to 5 out, soon lost place, outpaced 4 out, no impression from next, 6th of 12, 13 3/4l behind Value At Risk (10-11) at Ayr 2m 4f hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Exxaro (IRE) 14-1 (11-10) Mid-division, driven after 6th, weakened 6 out, pulled up next, at Newbury 2m 4f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Lofgren 5-1 (11-4) Held up off the pace in 4th, close up 8th, outpaced before 4 out, went 3rd next, ridden to chase clear winner between last 2, kept on, never a threat, 2nd of 5, 15l behind Azzuri (11-1) at Ayr 2m hcp (3) gd in Apr.
