tracked leaders, led on bit 4 out, not fluent 2 out, pushed clear flat, idled close home
tracked leader, led 4th, ridden after 8th, headed 4 out, stayed on but no chance with winner
held up in touch, headway after 9th, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened
soon behind, tailed off 5th
chased leaders, ridden after 9th, soon weakened, tailed off
always towards rear, behind and pulled up before 2 out
held up in touch, headway after 9th, hung left from 4 out, ridden and hit 3 out, soon weakened
led until 4th, prominent, ridden and outpaced approaching 4 out, stayed on from 2 out, took 3rd flat
Deano's Beeno, who won this in 1999 and again in 2000 but could finish only third behind Bacchanal 12 months ago, may again have to play a minor with leading staying hurdler Baracouda making his seasonal reappearance and he is impossible to oppose. Admittedly Francois Doumen's eight-year-old may not be fully wound up for this but the dual Stayers' Hurdle winner has so much class that he might not need to be 100 percent to win en route to another crack at the Championship contest at Cheltenham. Sleeping Night failed to win in four starts with Mary Reveley and has now joined the stable of Paul Nicholls but it would be a training performance of some note if the Ditcheat handler were to produce the seven-year-old fit enough to win this after a 604-day absence. Sir Talbot and Springfield Scally are the best of the remainder but are no better than handicappers and should only be fighting out minor place prize-money behind Baracouda.
