held up in rear, mistake 6th, not fluent 8th or 11th, well behind 12th, pulled up before next
tracked leaders, went 2nd 11th, led 3 out, driven flat, headed close home
always behind, tailed off 13th
chased leaders, not fluent 3 out, 3rd 2 out, went 2nd from last, stayed on dourly to lead close home
led until 3 out, weakened next, pulled up before last
mid-division, not fluent 11th, headway when mistake 16th, hampered next, struggling 4 out, plugged on flat, no impression on leaders
in rear, struggling 4th, behind 7th, pulled up after 11th
tracked leader until hit 11th, mistake 15th, lost place when mistake 17th, well beaten after 4 out, pulled up before next
in rear, jumped left 1st, well behind 13th, stayed on flat, never any chance
in rear, well behind 12th, pulled up before 17th
held up towards rear, headway from 14th, mistake 15th, went 2nd after 3 out until last, 3rd and beaten flat, stayed on same pace
mid-division, closed 11th, blundered 14th, mistake next, weakened from 17th, pulled up before last
chased leaders, reminder after 10th, ridden 14th, jumped left 17th, mistake next, 6th and struggling after 4 out, plugged on and went 4th flat
soon chasing leaders, pecked 13th, 4th and weakening when mistake 2 out
chased leaders, lost place 13th, struggling 15th, pulled up before 3 out
Nonrunner
These races for veteran chasers are becoming more popular and this is the most valuable to be staged so far. Charlie Deutsch took the bull by the horns on Aachen at Cheltenham last month and the 12-year-old is now on a hat-trick, though has gone up 13lb in the weights and will struggle to confirm Doncaster form with Reaping The Reward. His trainer, Venetia Williams, also saddles Relax and Renard but this may be too far for the latter with French Opera also better over shorter trips. Tullamore Dew beat Golden Chieftain by 12 lengths at Carlisle but is now 11lb worse off and Knock A Hand wasn't far behind the second in fourth. Creevytennant might have been laid out for this so is worth a market check and Your Busy and Araldur should also be competitive but SOLL, who beat Relax at Newbury around this time last year, looked to be on the way back when fourth in the Becher at Aintree and gets a tentative vote.
French Opera 9-2 (11-12) Held up, not fluent 7th, closer order into 3rd 4 out, 2nd before 2 out, ridden between last two, stayed on same pace run-in, 2nd of 5, 2 1/4l behind Houston Dynimo (10-0) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Aachen 12-1 (10-0) Made all, clear until after 10th, clear again before 13th, pecked 4 out, stayed on well, unchallenged, won at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (1) sft in Dec beating Wonderful Charm (11-12) by 17l, 8 ran.
Lie Forrit (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) Chased leaders to 4th, soon behind and outpaced, lost touch 8th, pulled up after 11th, at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Soll 9-1 (10-13) Mid-division, mistake 7th, prominent next, blundered 13th (becher\\\\\\\'s brook), ridden before 2 out, stayed on same pace from elbow, lost 3rd close home, 4th of 17, 3 1/4l behind Highland Lodge (10-0) at Aintree 3m 2f hcp (1) sft in Dec.
Creevytennant (IRE) 3-1 (11-10) Led, clear 4th until next, went right 12th, headed approaching 3 out, lost 2nd before next, weakened soon after, 4th of 5, dist behind Houston Dynimo (10-0) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Benbens (IRE) 33-1 (10-7) Mid-division, headway chasing leaders 13th, weakened 17th, 10th of 15, dist behind Smad Place (11-4) at Newbury 3m 2f hcp (1) sft in Nov.
Knock A Hand (IRE) 3-1 (11-12) Prominent, reminders halfway, under pressure 4 out, lost place 2 out, plugged on under pressure, 4th of 5, 12 1/2l behind Tullamore Dew (10-11) at Carlisle 3m hcp (2) hvy in Dec.
Relax (FR) 20-1 (11-1) Chased leader, led 10th until blundered 15th, chased leader until before 3 out, weakening when blundered 3 out, 11th of 15, dist behind Carole's Destrier (11-10) at Sandown 3m 5f hcp (2) gs in Dec.
Tullamore Dew (IRE) 9-1 (10-11) Held up in touch, headway to track leaders after 4th, led before 2 out, drew clear last, easily, 4 fences omitted, won at Carlisle 3m hcp (2) hvy in Dec beating Golden Chieftain (11-2) by 12l, 5 ran.
Your Busy (IRE) 10-1 (11-3) Led, headed and blundered 4 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 9, 13l behind Danimix (10-9) at Chepstow 3m hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Reaping The Reward (IRE) 20-1 (10-8) In rear, headway 5 out, went 2nd before 2 out, every chance last, kept on and not pace of winner, 2nd of 10, 5l behind Sego Success (11-1) at Doncaster 3m hcp (2) sft in Dec.
Renard (FR) 5-2fav (11-10) Led, strongly challenged approaching 3 out, headed approaching next, weakened last, last of 5, 23 1/2l behind Tullamore Dew (10-11) at Carlisle 3m hcp (2) hvy in Dec.
Golden Chieftain (IRE) 11-4 (11-2) In touch, under pressure 6 out, soon struggling in rear, rallied after 3 out, kept on under pressure to go 2nd closing stages, no chance with winner, 2nd of 5, 12l behind Tullamore Dew (10-11) at Carlisle 3m hcp (2) hvy in Dec.
Araldur (FR) 15-8fav (10-9) Held up in 3rd, closer order approaching 9th, not fluent 12th, pushed along 4 out, lost 3rd 4 out, mistake next, went modest 3rd again 2 out, 3rd of 5, 20 1/4l behind Houston Dynimo (10-0) at Leicester 2m 7f hcp (2) gd in Nov.
Houston Dynimo (IRE) 9-2 (11-12) Led, ridden and headed after 3 out, weakened from next, 5th of 7, 35 1/2l behind Shaky Gift (11-9) at Fakenham 2m 7f hcp (4) gs in Dec.
Firm Order (IRE) 8-1 (11-2) Tracked leaders, outpaced in 3rd when not fluent 3 out, no chance with front pair from next, left modest 2nd briefly flat, no extra, 3rd of 7, 18 1/4l behind Conas Taoi (10-3) at Sandown 3m hcp (3) gs in Dec.
