tracked leaders, not fluent 9th, 2nd from 11th until before 3 out, soon outpaced, rallied last, 2nd flat, unable to challenge winner
held up, headway 3rd, not fluent 5th, 2nd next, mistake 7th, lost place before 8th, weakened 11th
prominent, not fluent 6th, ridden after 11th, led 3 out, headed next, lost 2nd flat, stayed on
tracked leaders, not fluent 2nd, lot place before 4th, not fluent next, headway from 4 out, led and not fluent 2 out, stayed on well
in rear, not fluent 1st, behind from 8th
led, ridden after 4 out, headed next, 4th and weakening last
Value At Risk was right back to his best when landing a Grade 2 hurdle at Fairyhouse in March. But there is a big question mark hanging over the seven-year-old's ability to forge a career over fences as he fell at the second in both tries last year. BALLYCROSS has already won a point-to-point and scored over hurdles at Sandown in March. Still only five, he'll stay much further than this but could be some value to make a winning start in chases. Benissimo has been well beaten in both runs over fences but Bigbadjohn should be one to follow this season and he makes more appeal than winning hurdler/bumper Cottersrock on this occasion.
Ballycross 12-1 (10-2) Held up towards rear, headway before 3 out, ridden before last, no impression, 10th of 19, 18 1/4l behind Ubak (11-0) at Aintree 3m 1f hcp (1) sft in Apr.
Benissimo (IRE) 11-8fav (11-11) Tracked leader, every chance 4 out, not fluent 3 out, weakened flat, 3rd of 4, 14 1/4l behind Jarlath (11-8) at Worcester 2m hcp (4) gd in Aug.
Bigbadjohn (IRE) 25-1 (11-10) Prominent and disputed early, chased leader from after 4th, 2nd halfway, ridden in 3rd 4 out, no extra before next, weakened and pulled up after 2 out, at Punchestown 3m (1) Good - Yielding in Apr.
Cottersrock (IRE) 13-8 (11-5) Chased leaders, 2nd after 4th until blundered and unseated rider 5th, at Uttoxeter 2m 7f (4) gd in May.
The Jugopolist (IRE) 66-1 (11-7) Led, headed before 6th, tracked leader until 4 out, weakened 3 out, 3rd of 7, dist behind In The Rough (11-7) at Uttoxeter 3m (3) gd in Sep.
Value At Risk 11-4 (11-3) Tracked leader, led before 6th, slight mistake 3 out, ridden after 2 out, under pressure and kept on run-in, won at Fairyhouse 2m 4f (1) Yielding - Soft in Mar beating Marchese Marconi (11-3) by 1 1/2l, 8 ran.
