chased leaders, not fluent 4th, ridden before 5 out, weakened before next
held up in last pair, bit closer 7th, hit 9th, and lost place, blundered and unseated rider 11th
raced wide, chased leaders, lost place 8th, weakened 12th, tailed off 4 out, pulled up before next
led, reached for 3rd, headed after 6th, in front again 11th until headed and reminders after 5 out, chased leader, every chance when hit 3 out, weakened before next
chased leaders on inside, went 2nd between last 2, kept on same pace, no chance with winner
chased leader, led after 6th until 11th, in front again after 5 out, headed before 2 out, no chance with winner, weakened into 3rd between last 2
held up in rear, headway chasing leaders before 3 out, led before next, soon clear
Four of this field have already won over course and distance. Of that quartet, the front-running Valadom could be most interesting as Richard Johnson will have him prominent and he’s not badly treated at present. Aunty Ann was pulled up on her reappearance but will strip fitter here and is preferred to One Forty Seven and Irish Octave. Kilcrea Vale has never convinced over 3m but Soupy Soups is capable of bouncing back from a below-par effort at Perth. Jonjo O’Neill has won this for the past two years and runs the hat-trick seeking MONBEG GOLD, who won as he liked at Southwell and is capable of better still with that run under his belt.
Kilcrea Vale (IRE) 16-1 (10-0) Never better than mid-division, behind from 11th (foinavon), blundered 15th, never involved, 15th of 27, dist behind Cadmium (11-2) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp (1) sft in Apr.
Monbeg Gold (IRE) 5-2jfav (11-10) Towards rear, mid-division halfway, went 2nd before 7 out, soon left in lead, clear before last, won at Southwell 3m hcp (4) gd in Apr beating Hepijeu (11-9) by 10l, 7 ran.
Aunty Ann (IRE) 13-2 (11-9) Tracked leaders, outpaced 16th, rallied 4 out, weakened after 3 out, pulled up after, at Cheltenham 3m 2f hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Valadom (FR) 4-1 (10-12) Prominent, led 7th to 12th, in touch, 3rd and ridden after 3 out, no chance with clear pair from next, 3rd of 8, 23l behind Red Giant (11-3) at Perth 3m hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Soupy Soups (IRE) 6-1 (11-8) Tracked leader, lost place 12th, behind when not fluent 5 out, soon ridden, lost touch next, tailed off when pulled up before last, at Perth 3m hcp (3) gd in Apr.
One Forty Seven (IRE) 5-2fav (11-5) Led, driven and headed before 3 out, soon ridden, weakened from next, 5th of 8, 27l behind Traditional Dancer (11-9) at Perth 3m hcp (3) gd in Apr.
Irish Octave (IRE) 5-2fav (11-5) Held up in last pair, jumped slowly and dropped to last at 8th, rallied approaching 14th, went 3rd 3 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 6, 5 3/4l behind Follow The Swallow (11-0) at Warwick 3m hcp (4) gd in Apr.
