led, headed 10th, hit 12th, led again 3 out, hit last, headed line, outbattled
held up, headway 4 out, ridden to chase leader 3 out, hard ridden, rider lost whip after last, led line
held up, headway and mistake 15th, held when took poor 3rd last
with leader, mistakes from 6th, weakened 13th, tailed off when pulled up before 5 out
towards rear, headway to track leaders 18th, ridden approaching 2 out, soon weakened
tracked leader from 3rd, led 10th and soon clear, weakening when headed 3 out
TRUST FUND can make it three in a row after wins at Chepstow and Aintree with both Take The Stand and Nobody Tells Me worth noting. The selection won in fine style at Chepstow in March to qualify himself for the Fox Hunters at Aintree which he duly obliged. He is was a fair handicapper for Paul Nicholls two seasons ago and even at the age of eleven he still continues to run with all his enthusiasm. With a clear round he ought to win with his head in his chest. Take The Stands highlight of his career must have been finishing second to Kicking King in the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup. He has not reproduced that form since but won two hunter chases at this venue last year. He did win at Warwick back in March but he will struggle to beat the selection on his current form and a forecast position is the best he can hope for. Nobody Tells Me won a hunter chase at Taunton after returning from a long lay off and followed up by winning two point to points. He fell last time out though and would need to return with a personal best to score here.
Take The Stand (IRE) 11-1 (12-5) Chased leaders, not fluent 10th, reminders 16th, blundered 4 out, weakened next, 4th of 7, well behind Amicelli (12-8) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hts chs (4) gd in Apr.
Trust Fund (IRE) 13-2 (12-0) Mid-division, headway 12th (Canal Turn), led between last 2, ran on strongly, won at Aintree 2m 5f hts chs (2) gd in Apr beating Christy Beamish (12-0) by 4l, 29 ran.
Nobody Tells Me (FR) 7-4 (11-0) Trckd ldrs til fell 11, in a race won by Kingsmill Lake (10-7) at Flete Park 3m ptp in Apr, 7 ran.
Whistling Straits (IRE) 66-1 (12-0) Towards rear, never dangerous, 15th of 29, well behind Trust Fund (12-0) at Aintree 2m 5f hts chs (2) gd in Apr.
Distant Thunder (IRE) 13-8 (12-5) Hdwy 7; lft clr 3 out; rdn out, won at Chaddesley Corbett 3m 2f ptp in Apr beating Cannon Bridge (12-5) by 10l, 9 ran.
Merchants Friend (IRE) 16-1 (11-7) Fell 1st, in a race won by Amicelli (12-8) at Cheltenham 3m 2f hts chs (4) gd in Apr, 7 ran.
