made all, hit 4 out, joined from 2 out until last, stayed on gamely
in rear, mistakes, behind after 6th, tailed off
mid-division, closed 4th, weakened before 4 out, pulled up before 2 out
tracked leaders, lost place before 7th, not fluent next, well beaten before 4 out
held up towards rear, modest headway before 4 out, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
tracked winner, ridden after 10th, weakened before 2 out
held up towards rear, closed 7th, outpaced before 4 out, soon weakened
mid-division, rider lost iron 7th until after next, headway 10th, strong challenge 2 out until not fluent last, held after, stayed on
mid-division, closed 3rd, not fluent 7th or 8th, soon lost place, weakened well before 4 out, tailed off
chased leaders, lost place before 3rd, headway approaching 7th, one pace and jumped left 2 out, no extra last
DROM may be one of two 12-year-olds on show but continues to perform with great enthusiasm and is taken to gain a sixth chase win under Rules despite conceding weight all round. Vastly experienced in the pointing field with a fine record of ten wins and eleven places from 31 starts, he's ideally suited by 2m4f on good ground as evinced by wins under Rules this year at Musselburgh and Southwell. He sets a good standard. Opera Og is a definite threat, the former Venetia Williams-trained chaser having taken very well to operating in points. His wide experience of racing under Rules should prove very useful here and he seems sure to go well. Son Of Flicka landed a point-to-point last time but is best known for taking the 2012 Coral Cup when with Donald McCain. That makes him of interest although how he'll respond to first-time blinkers at the age of 11 is open to question.
Drom 5-1 (11-11) Made all, clear before 2 out, won at Southwell 2m 4f hts chs (6) gd beating Cold Knight (12-0) by 7l, 10 ran.
Viking Ridge (IRE) 25-1 (11-0) Hdwy 10; outpcd aft 2 out, 3rd of 4, 17l behind It Was Me (11-0) at Fitzwilliam (Milton) 3m ptp gd.
Blackthirteen (IRE) 7-1 (11-0) Chsd wnr; rdn & ev ch when fell 2 out, in a race won by Oaklands Bobby (11-0) at South Durham 3m ptp gf, 5 ran.
Hidden Future (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Held up towards rear, ridden and headway 5 out, weakened next, pulled up before 3 out, in a race won by Owen Glendower (11-11) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f hts chs (6) hvy, 11 ran.
Keki Buku (FR) 4-1 (12-5) Held up; hdwy 15; wknd qckly app 2 out, 5th of 6, 34l behind Aldreth (10-12) at Bilsdale 3m ptp gd.
Know The Rules (IRE) 3-1 (12-7) (cp) ap; jnd wnr 4 out; no ex last, 2nd of 6, 5l behind Newspage (12-0) at South Durham 3m ptp gf.
Larkhall 13-2 (11-0) Held up; eff 16; rdn & outpcd 3 out; hmpd nxt, 3rd of 5, 8l behind Oaklands Bobby (11-0) at South Durham 3m ptp gf.
Opera Og (IRE) 4-5fav (12-7) Ap; ev ch app last; unable qckn, 2nd of 4, 3l behind Ganbei (12-7) at Pendle Forest & Craven 3m ptp gd.
Silver O'reilly 14-1 (12-0) In tch to 10; to & pu 2 out, in a race won by Tomstar (12-0) at Quorn 3m ptp gd in Apr, 10 ran.
Son Of Flicka 7-2 (12-0) Hdwy 16; led 3 out; ro wl, won at South Durham 3m ptp gf beating Almond Court (11-7) by 3 1/2l, 6 ran.
