disputed lead, jumped right 2nd, headed 3 out, weakened before mistake 2 out
mid-division, took keen hold, ridden and well beaten before 3 out
held up towards rear, ridden and well beaten after 3 out
mid-division, not fluent 4th, soon lost place, weakened after 3 out
tracked leaders, challenged 3 out, led going well before next, shaken up flat, cosily
mid-division, headway on inside after 5th, went 3rd after 3 out, stayed on same pace next
tracked leaders, led 3 out, ridden and headed before next, held by winner after, stayed on
chased leaders, took keen hold, mistake 4th, 4th after 3 out, weakened before next
held up towards rear, ridden and well beaten 3 out
chased leaders, outpaced after 3 out, plugged on into 4th next, blundered last
not always fluent, in rear, well beaten when mistake 3 out
held up towards rear, took keen hold, headway on outside before 4th, weakened approaching 3 out
disputed lead, jumped left at times, not fluent 5th, lost place before 3 out
in rear, not fluent 5th or when well beaten 3 out
GRAND INQUISITOR was beaten only three lengths at Taunton on his recent hurdling bow and gets the vote on that basis in a wide-open affair. He won on the Flat at York before that and shared a similar rating on the level to hurdling newcomers Navajo War Dance and Roman De Brut. Buonarroti also scored on the Flat at Ayr last month while Clondaw Castle won a bumper last season and makes his hurdling debut today. Global Citizen has also landed a bumper and should find this easier than last month’s first taste of hurdling at Aintree.
Bridge of Cally (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Held up towards rear, ridden and kept on final 2f, never on terms, 6th of 12, 16 3/4l behind Hidden Glen (11-4) at Southwell 2m mdn (6) gd in Oct.
Buckby Boy 33-1 (10-12) Held up towards rear on inside, some headway before 2 out, never involved, 7th of 14, 26 1/2l behind Jabulani (10-12) at Lingfield 2m 3f (3) sft in Nov.
Buonarroti (IRE) 11-2 (9-6) Held up towards rear, headway going well over 2f out, led well over 1f out, nudged clear inside final furlong, eased close home, won at Ayr 1m 7f hcp (4) hvy in Oct beating Hurricane Hollow (9-5) by 2l, 10 ran.
Cassivellaunus (IRE) 50-1 (10-12) Always behind, tailed off, 9th of 11, 33 1/2l behind Burlington Bert (11-9) at Stratford 2m (5) gf in May.
Clondaw Castle (IRE) 20-1 (11-4) Mid-division, headway over 3f out, chasing leaders 2f out, carried left over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 8th of 19, 9 1/4l behind Lalor (11-4) at Aintree 2m 1f (1) gd in Apr.
Eskendash (USA) 8-1 (11-0) Held up in mid-division on outside, closed 3rd, challenged 3 out, not fluent 2 out, no extra flat, 4th of 16, 17 3/4l behind Kalashnikov (11-0) at Wetherby 2m (3) sft in Nov.
Global Citizen (IRE) 4-1 (11-0) Raced keenly, tracked leader, led 3rd, ridden after 2 out, headed approaching last, lost place and no extra flat, 5th of 10, 13 3/4l behind On The Blind Side (11-0) at Aintree 2m 4f mdn (4) gs in Oct.
Grand Inquisitor 4-5fav (10-12) Towards rear, headway before 2 out, ridden before last, kept on same pace, 4th of 9, 2 3/4l behind Dentley De Mee (10-12) at Taunton 2m mdn (4) gf in Nov.
Navajo War Dance 12-1 (9-6) Led 2f, tracked leaders, pushed along over 4f out, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, tailed off, 8th of 9, 36 1/4l behind C'est No Mour (9-1) at Windsor 1m 3f hcp (4) gd in Jul.
Pyrios (FR) 9-1 (10-12) Held up behind, outpaced over 2f out, driven and stayed on into 4th inside final furlong, no impression with leaders, 4th of 7, 11 3/4l behind Paddy Boss (11-2) at Warwick 2m (6) gd in May.
Roman De Brut (IRE) 50-1 (9-2) Chased leaders, pushed along and weakened over 2f out, 7th of 12, 19l behind Roll On Rory (9-5) at Newmarket 1m hcp (4) gs in Nov.
Doodle Dandy (IRE) 20-1 (8-8) Took keen hold, tracked leader, led over 7f out, headed over 3f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 9, 26 1/4l behind Delirium (8-2) at Sandown 1m 2f hcp fll (5) gd in Sep.
Charlie Chaplin (GER) 16-1 (10-12) Led before 3rd, headed before 2nd, one pace in 3rd, 3rd of 6, 6 1/2l behind Risk And Roll (10-12) at Kempton 2m (3) gd in Oct.
Figeac (FR) 28-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, went 6th after 3 out, no impression, 6th of 9, 13 3/4l behind Speedo Boy (10-12) at Huntingdon 2m (4) gd in Nov.
Boughtbeforelunch (IRE) 33-1 (10-12) Prominent, took keen hold, weakened before 3 out, 13th of 14, dist behind Who's My Jockey (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f (4) gd in Nov.
Midnight Mood 12-1 (8-12) Chased leaders, pushed along over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 11, 5 3/4l behind Champagne Rules (8-13) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (6) pol in Nov.
