held up in touch, led approaching last, stayed on well
led to 6th, led again 4 out and pecked, ridden and headed approaching last, soon beaten
tracked leaders, pushed along approaching 9th, soon weakened, jumped left next, pulled up before 2 out
prominent, mistake 3 out, soon weakened
held up, struggling from 7th, tailed off when blundered last
behind from 3rd, struggling from 4th, tailed off from 7th
in rear, tracked leaders 5th, led next, headed 4 out, no impression from next
Dishdasha has the ability to take the honours in this contest but Alison Thorpe's gelding has yet to translate his hurdles form to the larger obstacles and he is prone to making mistakes so a safer option looks to be TOP MARK, who gets the verdict with Safari Adventures rated the best of the rest. The selection was capable over hurdles earning a rating of 130 and Gordon Elliott's gelding did everything asked of him on his chasing debut when running out the comfortable winner of a beginners' chase at Ballinrobe. Peter Monteith's Putitawayforayear has yet to be placed over hurdles and was well held on his chasing debut here recently so he looks best left out of calculations. Jessica Harrington's Helvic Head is capable but is becoming expensive to follow having now had seven starts over fences and he looks booked for a place at best. Lucinda Russell's Safari Adventures has the benefit of experience over fences having had 10 starts over the larger obstacles and he has to be respected but Top Mark has an obvious chance and is hard to oppose.
Dishdasha (IRE) 7-2 (11-4) Held up mid division, mistake 1st, headway ninth, ridden to challenge approaching 2 out, soon weakened, 5th of 9, 11l behind Danehill Willy (10-12) at Ffos Las 2m nov stks (3) gd in Jun.
Top Mark 5-1 (11-12) Soon prominent, led after 5th, slight mistake 2 out, ridden to assert run-in, went clear close home, comfortably, won at Ballinrobe 2m 1f beg chs gf in Jun beating Coffee Tea Or Me (10-9) by 2 1/2l, 13 ran.
Flying Forme (IRE) 33-1 (9-9) Soon led, headed 5th, chased leader, lost place 4 out, soon ridden and weakened, 7th of 11, well behind Woody Valentine (11-5) at Sedgefield 2m 4f hcp chs 0-100 (4) gd in May.
Helvic Head (IRE) 8-1 (11-8) Prominent, slow jump 2nd and reminders, 4th 5 out, no impression from next, 10th of 11, well behind Duers (9-13) at Limerick 2m 3f cnd hcp chs gs in Apr.
More Shennanigans 66-1 (10-0) Not jumped well throughout, behind 8th, pulled up 11th, in a race won by Saafend Rocket (11-5) at Fakenham 2m 5f hcp chs 0-85 (5) gf in May, 15 ran.
Putitawayforayear (IRE) 16-1 (10-9) Held up in touch, outpaced 5 out, weakened 3 out, 4th of 8, 25l behind Lord Lansdown (11-0) at Perth 2m mdn chs (5) gd in May.
Safari Adventures (IRE) Evensfav (11-7) Led, headed approaching 4 out, weakening when jumped left 2 out, soon lost 2nd, last of 3, 12l behind Hollows Mill (10-10) at Perth 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gf in May.
