tracked leaders and jumped left 1 and 2, lost place 3rd, tailed off when pulled up before 7th
held up, slightly hampered and fell 2nd
held up, lost touch from 7th, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
in touch, mistake 6th, mistake again 8 and weakened, pulled up before 3 out
made most, bumped 7th, ridden and weakening when headed approaching 2 out
held up, in touch when ridden and outpaced 8th, stayed on from 3 out to chase winner in vain last
tracked leaders and keen, led briefly 4th, jumped left and bumped 7th, ridden and every chance 3 out, one pace
held up in touch, not fluent 4th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out and weakened
held up and always going well, smooth headway after 7th, led approaching 2 out, driven approaching last and hit, ran on
held up mid-division, headway after 5th, mistake next, weakened 8th, blundered badly 4 out, unseated rider 3 out, remounted
Villon can make a successful return ahead of Tamarinbleu, with Roman Ark best of the rest. Villon looked an exciting prospect last season when winning each of his first three starts, and was thought highly enough of to contest the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Unfortunately he did not have the speed on the faster ground and finished well beaten in the end. Put away afterwards, chasing was always going to be his game, and he is reported to have already schooled like an old hand over the bigger obstacles. With that in mind, he makes more appeal than Tamarinbleu who represents the out of form stable of Martin Pipe. Just what is wrong down at Pond House at present is anybody's guess, but the plain fact is that none of them can be backed with confidence at present, although to be fair they did finally send out a winner at Exeter on Thursday. Tamarinbleu shaped with a great deal of promise when finding only Accordion Etoile too good in a Grade 2 contest at Cheltenham on his chase debut, and if they have tuned the corner than he would be respected more. Best of the rest should be Roman Ark, highly tried over hurdles and who was beaten when unshipping his pilot at Aintree on his chase debut. In what looks a two horse race on paper, we shall rely on Villon.
Billesey (IRE) 4-1 (11-4) Always prominent, ridden to lead over 2f out, all out, won at Stratford 2m nhf (H) gs in Mar '04 beating Peggy's Prince (10-13) by 1 1/2l, 14 ran.
Greenawn (IRE) 28-1 (11-4) Chased leader, led 3rd to after 7th, weakened before next, 5th of 8, well behind Le Volfoni (10-7) at Chepstow 2m beg chs (D) hvy.
Konker 16-1 (10-9) Chased leaders, mistake 2nd, behind after 7th, soon tailed off, last of 7, well behind Julies Boy (10-4) at Windsor 2m hcp chs 0-100 (F) gd in Nov.
Muhtenbar 12-1 (10-13) Led, headed when fell 4 out in race won by Julius Caesar (10-13) at Market Rasen 2m 6f beg chs (E) gs in Nov, 9 ran.
Roman Ark 9-2 (11-4) Held up, headway when blundered 4 out, soon struggling, no chance when blundered and unseated rider 2 out in race won by Cerium (11-0) at Aintree 2m nov chs (B) gs in Nov, 5 ran.
Sharp Rigging (IRE) 14-1 (11-4) In touch, headway 8th, ridden approaching 4 out, weakened after 3 out, 4th of 10, 22l behind The Listener (11-4) at Exeter 2m 3f nov chs (B) sft.
Tamarinbleu (FR) 3-1 (11-5) Held up mid-division, headway 6th, hit next, led 3 out, ridden 2 out, weakening when headed last strides, 2nd of 10, shd behind Accordion Etoile (11-5) at Cheltenham 2m nov chs Grd 2 (A) gs in Nov.
Villon (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Always towards rear, 17th of 20, well behind Arcalis (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m nov hdl Grd 1 (A) gd in Mar.
