steadied start pulled hard in rear, headway to lead 4th, hit 3 out, ridden and soon headed, pulled up next
held up, headway going well 3 out, joined leader on bit flat, rider seemed to be caught napping by winner when still going well, ridden and found little
led, headed 4th, close up, ridden 2 out, ran on strongly to lead towards finish
tracked leader, led soon after 3 out, ridden and headed next, kept on one pace
tracked leaders, joined leader soon after 3 out, ridden to lead 2 out, joined flat, headed and kept on one pace
in rear, struggling from 6th, finished in own time
Nonrunner
Switched Off wasn't beaten far on heavy ground at Carlisle last time but still has a bit to find on that form with RIVER DRAGON, who also won't mind the ground having ploughed through the mud to win over further at Hexham in October. Tony Coyle's seven-year-old gets the nod here with Countess Comet yet to conclusively prove she stays this far - her stamina will be tested today. Saints And Sinners needs to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Aintree but is another course winner and still preferred to plater Peaks Of Fire and the returning J'Adhere.
J'Adhere (FR) 16-1 (11-6) Steadied start and lost 6 lengths, pulled hard in last place, hit 2nd and 4th, kept on flat, never on terms, 5th of 9, 15l behind Marchand D'argent (10-8) at Bangor 2m 1f hcp hdl 0-120 (4) gs in May.
Switched Off 9-2fav (11-12) Tracked leaders, led before 2 out, headed last 100 yards, kept on and lost 2nd place towards finish, 3rd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Markadam (10-10) at Carlisle 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy.
Saints And Sinners (IRE) 33-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, well beaten before next and soon pulled up, in a race won by Master Of The Sea (10-7) at Aintree 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft, 13 ran.
Countess Comet (IRE) 5-2fav (11-11) Tracked leaders, hit 3rd, ridden and outpaced after 4 out, headway approaching last, driven and stayed on towards finish, 3rd of 6, 2 1/4l behind Belle De Fontenay (11-5) at Huntingdon 2m mrs hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft in Nov.
Peaks Of Fire (IRE) 11-4 (11-2) Slowly away, behind, headway before 3rd to go in touch, went 2nd from 3rd until before last, kept on same pace, 3rd of 8, 8l behind Dune Shine (11-5) at Stratford 2m 3f cnd/am sll hdl (5) sft in Nov.
Walter De La Mare (IRE) 33-1 (11-0) Tracked leader until 3rd, losing place when hampered after 6th, tailed off, 8th of 11, well behind Zarzal (11-0) at Ludlow 2m mdn hdl (5) sft in Nov.
River Dragon (IRE) 5-1 (11-4) Towards rear, headway 2 out, kept on to take 2nd towards finish, 2nd of 9, 1/2l behind Markadam (10-10) at Carlisle 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) hvy.
