chased leaders, reminders after 4th and again after 7th, never travelled well after, lost place 10th, weakened from 2 out (usual 3 out)
led, ridden and headed after 4 out (usual 5 out), lost place 2 out (usual 3 out), weakened after last (usual 2 out)
tracked leader, led after 4 out (usual 5 out), 4 lengths clear last (usual 2 out), shaken up and headed bypassing omitted last, no extra, well held when lost 2nd final strides
tracked leaders, driven after 4 out (usual 5 out), chased leader 2 out (usual 3 out), lost place before last (usual 2 out), soon ridden and beaten
held up, always behind, weakened from 3 out (usual 4 out), tailed off
mid-division, tracked leaders 10th, ridden to chase leader before last (usual 2 out), stayed on to lead bypassing omitted last, ran on (final fence omitted on both circuits, low sun)
held up behind, headway 3 out (usual 4 out), chased leaders before last (usual 2 out), soon ridden, stayed on to take 2nd final strides, no impression with winner
mid-division, lost place 4 out (usual 5 out), weakened from next, tailed off
NonRunner
Third in last year's renewal, Jet Master beat only two rivals to win a lower grade chase at Newcastle last month. Silver Tassie is another upped in class after placing at Ayr while Cultram Abbey's earlier success came in a hunter chase. Band Of Blood remains 5lb higher than when winning at Doncaster back in February while Beeves and Upsilon Bleu are others returning from an absence but PERFECT CANDIDATE has a couple of outings under his belt. Still a smart chaser on his day as evidenced by a victory in Grade 3 company at Cheltenham last year, Fergal O'Brien's veteran gets the nod to bounce back in this.
Perfect Candidate (IRE) 20-1 (11-2) Chased leaders to 13th, behind and reminders after 17th, tailed off 4 out, pulled up before next, at Cheltenham 3m 3f hcp (1) gd in Nov.
Beeves (IRE) 22-1 (11-10) With leader, not fluent 8th, led 11th, headed before next, weakened before 3 out, 12th of 18, dist behind Virgilio (11-12) at Uttoxeter 3m 2f hcp lst (1) gd in Jul.
Upsilon Bleu (FR) 25-1 (10-12) Prominent, led 2nd, headed 4th, not fluent 8th, every chance 4 out, mistake 2 out, weakened before last, 5th of 11, 17l behind Theinval (11-2) at Ayr 2m hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Band Of Blood (IRE) 25-1 (10-0) Mid-division, headway chasing leaders before 14th, weakened 17th, tailed off, 10th of 20, dist behind Step Back (10-0) at Sandown 3m 5f hcp (1) gs in Apr.
Silver Tassie (IRE) 10-1 (11-8) Held up in rear, blundered 10th, chased leaders 13th, every chance 2 out, kept on same pace closing stages, 2nd of 8, 2 3/4l behind Kimberlite Candy (11-11) at Ayr 3m hcp (3) hvy in Nov.
Cultram Abbey 13-2 (12-2) Mid-division, headway before 5 out, outpaced from 2 out, kept on and no impression, 4th of 8, 7 1/4l behind Creevytennant (12-6) at Perth 3m (5) gd in May.
Jet Master (IRE) 9-4 (11-12) Held up in 3rd, closer on outside 11th, smooth headway into 2nd 3 out, led next, clear before last, easily, won at Newcastle 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov beating Brave Spartacus (11-6) by 11l, 3 ran.
Valleyofmilan (IRE) 9-2 (11-2) Led until after 7th, led 11th, headed before next, lost place before 15th, well behind next, stayed on from 3 out, went after next, 3rd of 5, 8l behind Thomas Crapper (11-0) at Southwell 3m 2f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Samstown 12-1 (11-3) Chased leaders on inside, 5th and one pace 3 out, no impression, weakened next, 7th of 11, dist behind Allysson Monterg (11-12) at Perth 3m hcp (3) sft in Apr.
