chased leaders, driven along approaching 3 out, blundered and weakened next, hit last
held up in touch, niggled along after 4 out, went lame and pulled up before next
chased leaders, hit 4 out, slight lead after, jumped right 3 out, driven and jumped right 2 out, headed soon after, no chance with winner, lost 2nd towards finish
held up, headway before 3 out, driven to chase leaders soon after, weakened from 2 out
held up in rear, steady headway approaching 3 out, went 3rd 2 out, stayed on under pressure flat to take 2nd towards finish, no chance with easy winner
led, ridden and headed after 4 out, weakened quickly before next, tailed off
held up in close touch, closed up smoothly approaching 3 out, challenged on bit 2 out, soon led, clear before last, pushed out flat, easily
chased leaders, went 2nd approaching 3 out, weakened approaching next
always in rear, driven and struggling 4 out, soon lost touch, tailed off
Triple World Hurdle winner INGLIS DREVER makes his seasonal reappearance here and, having won first time out in each of the last three seasons, Howard Johnson's gelding is taken to continue that trend getting the verdict ahead of Blazing Bailey and Pettifour. Having shown decent form as a novice last term, the six-year-old showed his best form so far when landing Wetherby's West Yorkshire Hurdle on his reappearance and he has to be respected for in-form trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies. Mobaasher was narrowly beaten by Petitfour at Wetherby and has solid claims of reversing that form, meeting his conqueror on 4lbs better terms for quarter-of-a-length. Oliver McKiernan's Whatuthink is capable but needs to improve to trouble the judge. Nicky Henderson's Duc De Regniere is less exposed than most of these and looks to be going the right way following his win at Kempton last time, while Emma Lavelle's Labelthou would probably want the ground to be softer than it is. Alan King's Blazing Bailey, the winner of Punchestown's World Series Hurdle last term, comes here fit from a recent success here on the flat and he is rated as the main danger to the selection Inglis Drever.
Blazing Bailey 10-3fav (11-10) Chased leaders, 5th and pushed along 4 out, dropped to 6th from 2 out, headway straight, led from last, stayed on strongly to go clear run-in, won at Punchestown 3m hdl Grd 1 (1) gd in Apr beating Refinement (11-5) by 7l, 12 ran.
Inglis Drever 13-8fav (11-10) In rear, ridden after 7th, headway from 3 out, not clear run and switched right after 2 out, hung left and no extra flat, 3rd of 11, 9l behind Blazing Bailey (11-10) at Aintree 3m hdl Grd 2 (1) gs in Apr.
Pettifour (IRE) 3-1jt-fav (11-4) Tracked leaders, led 3 out, driven and held on gamely towards finish, won at Wetherby 3m 1f hdl Grd 2 (1) gf beating Mobaasher (11-4) by a nk, 8 ran.
Whatuthink (IRE) 14-1 (11-7) Chased leader in 2nd, improved to lead 4 out, soon strongly pressed and headed entering straight, stayed on to lead again 2 out, headed and no extra before last, kept on same pace, 2nd of 10, 7l behind Catch Me (11-10) at Navan 2m 4f hdl.
Mobaasher (USA) 3-1jt-fav (11-4) Mid-division, smooth headway 2 out, challenged last, driven, just held flat, 2nd of 8, nk behind Pettifour (11-4) at Wetherby 3m 1f hdl Grd 2 (1) gf.
Labelthou (FR) (10-3) Led to 6th, close up until weakened 12th, tailed off when pulled up in race won by Oeil Du Maitre (10-8) at Auteuil 3m 1f hdl Grd 1 (1) hvy in Jun, 13 ran.
Duc De Regniere (FR) 5-2fav (11-11) Mid-division, headway 3 out, led approaching 2 out, edged right briefly, kept on, won at Kempton 2m 5f hcp hdl (2) gs beating Nakai (11-6) by 4l, 11 ran.
Hills Of Aran 7-1 (11-7) Held up, headway after 8th, challenging when hit 4 out, soon ridden, stayed on well from last, led final 40 yards, won at Chepstow 3m hcp hdl (2) gd in Oct beating Forest Pennant (11-2) by 3/4l, 12 ran.
Sterling Moll 100-1 (10-0) Held up, lost place 3 out, hampered 2 out, continued at own speed, 5th of 10, 40l behind Diablo (11-0) at Cheltenham 3m 1f nov hdl (3) gd in Oct.
