towards rear, pushed along in mid-division after 12th, fell 5 out
front mid-division, headway to go prominent 12th, pushed along and weakened quickly 4 out, tailed off
mid-division, pushed along after 3 out, bad mistake when beaten 2 out, gradually faded
rear mid-division, headway to chase leaders after 5 out, went 4th before 4 out, ridden before last, stayed on one pace
led, hit 5th and 8th, headed 11th, pushed along and lost place quickly after 12th, pulled up before 5 out
towards rear, mid-division before 5 out, went 5th 3 out, ridden after 2 out, not fluent last, kept on run-in
tracked leader, led 11th, pressed 4 out, ridden after 3 out, mistake and headed 2 out, weakened quickly before last
raced in rear, not fluent on occasions, struggling from 5 out, pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, pushed along and outpaced after 5 out, weakened before 3 out, pulled up
towards rear, ridden before 4 out, not fluent 3 out, never on terms
mid-division, headway into 4th 5 out, pressed leader 4 out, led 2 out, pushed along before last, ridden out run-in, stayed on well
unseated rider 1st in mid-division
chased leaders, shaken up in 2nd before 4 out, ridden after 2 out, ran on well after last, no chance with winner
Espoir De Teillee beat Kalooki and Grand Sancy here in March and confirmed his superiority over the disappointing third on worse terms at Chepstow seven weeks ago. Kapcorse won this three years ago but has had his problems since and was only seventh in the race last year, though is 7lb lower. Dame De Compagnie and Topofthecotswolds would have a chance on their best form and Kauto The King carried on where he left off in the spring by winning at Wincanton. However, his stablemate OFALLTHEGINJOINTS is potentially thrown in here off a mark of 134 given he was 7lb higher when running well in a Grade 3 at Aintree in the spring. Somptueux has been rested since well beaten in the Galway Plate in July so Killer Clown looks the pick of the remainder.
Dame De Compagnie (FR) 7-2fav (11-10) Rear of mid-division on outer, jumped left and went further wide 3 out, no impression straight, never a factor, 7th of 10, 28 1/4l behind Powersbomb (10-2) at Punchestown 2m 4f hcp sft in May.
Somptueux (FR) 11-1 (10-6) Chased leaders briefly, slow 1st and 2nd, soon lost place, towards rear halfway, slow 8th, weakened 4 out, 18th of 22, dist behind Royal Rendezvous (11-5) at Galway 2m 7f hcp gd in Jul.
Kalooki (GER) 2-1fav (11-7) Mid-division, headway before 5 out, ridden before 4 out, stayed on after last, just held, 2nd of 5, hd behind Espoir De Teillee (11-7) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp (2) gs in Mar.
Espoir De Teillee (FR) 20-1 (10-12) Keen, mistake 2nd in mid-division, chased leaders 4 out, not fluent 2 out, no impression, 3rd of 9, 10 1/4l behind Paint The Dream (11-1) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Moon Over Germany (IRE) 66-1 (11-9) Towards rear, pushed along after 6th, blundered 4 out, tailed off when pulled up 2 out, at Cheltenham 2m hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Grand Sancy (FR) 10-3fav (10-10) Towards rear, mid-division 5 out, weakened 2 out, never got on terms, 5th of 9, 18 1/4l behind Paint The Dream (11-1) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Killer Clown (IRE) 7-1 (10-4) Chased winner before 2nd until 4th, stayed handy, weakened 2 out, 6th of 8, 12 1/2l behind Allmankind (11-10) at Aintree 2m 4f hcp (1) gd in Oct.
Lock's Corner (IRE) 50-1 (12-0) Always in rear, 9th of 11, dist behind Dublin Four (11-1) at Newbury 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov.
Ofalltheginjoints (IRE) 11-1 (10-13) Close up, ridden after 4 out, weakened 3 out, 7th of 13, 19 3/4l behind Rocco (10-10) at Wincanton 3m 1f hcp lst (1) gd in Nov.
Kauto The King (FR) 5-2fav (12-2) Held up in mid-division, headway to track leader 8th, upsides 11th, led narrowly 13th but soon headed, ridden after 3 out, led after 2 out, stayed on strongly from last, won at Wincanton 2m 4f hcp (3) gd in Nov beating Midnight Midge (11-7) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
Kapcorse (FR) 13-2 (11-9) Mid-division out wide, headway chasing leaders approaching 14th, pushed along and held when stumbled badly 2 out, 7th of 16, 20 1/4l behind Cap Du Nord (10-8) at Newbury 2m 6f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Topofthecotswolds (IRE) 11-2 (11-4) Led, ridden and headed 2 out, every chance last when not fluent, kept on well flat, not reach winner, 2nd of 8, 1 1/4l behind Palmers Hill (11-4) at Wetherby 2m 3f hcp (3) gs in Nov.
Court Master (IRE) 7-1 (10-0) Mid-division, mistake 12th, dropped to rear 6 out, soon pulled up, at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
