mid-division, not fluent 1st, mistake 4th, never going well after and soon in rear, slow 5th, awkward next, behind 7th, pulled up before 8th
mid-division, outpaced after 11th, behind 13th, pulled up before 3 out
held up in rear, headway going well 13th, still tanking along when challenging 3 out, led before last, ridden out flat
prominent, ridden 12th, mistake and lost place 13th, weakened before 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
led, headed before 3 out, soon weakened
prominent, pushed along after 4 out, led before next, headed approaching last, no impression on winner flat
held up towards rear, headway 8th, every chance 3 out, no extra from next
mid-division on outside, headway 13th, every chance when blundered 3 out, no extra next
Elkstone won over a shorter trip here in August but was raised 10lb and failed to figure at Market Rasen last time. Accord was still beaten out of sight when third at Fontwell recently and a tongue-tie is added to his existing headgear while Midnight Monty is regularly placed but his only win over fences came back in 2016. Baron Du Plessis has placed under Richard Johnson in the past but CLOSEST FRIEND finally posted a better effort for a tumble down the weights when runner-up at Market Rasen last time and James Eustace’s charge is taken to end a long losing run off his current mark.
Midnight Monty 9-2 (12-0) Chased leaders, 2nd after 2nd until before 11th, weakened before 12th, tailed off 5 out, pulled up, at Chepstow 3m hcp (4) hvy in Apr.
Accord (IRE) 14-1 (11-4) Led until after 1st, held up, poor 4th from 15th, left 3rd 3 out, 3rd of 5, dist behind Mercers Court (11-2) at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Elkstone 9-2jfav (12-3) Held up in rear, mistake 4 out, some headway approaching 3 out, no impression, 6th of 13, 14 1/2l behind West Wizard (11-11) at Market Rasen 2m 3f hcp (4) gd in Sep.
Fly Home Harry 20-1 (11-4) Tracked leader, lost place before 3 out, tailed off, 7th of 8, dist behind Powerful Symbol (11-13) at Stratford 2m 7f hcp (4) gd in Oct.
Strumble Head (IRE) 10-1 (11-0) Joined leader 2nd, led 13th, headed and not fluent 4 out, soon ridden and weakened, eased and tried to pull up before 3 out, soon pulled up, at Fontwell 3m 2f hcp (4) gd in Oct.
One Of Us 13-2 (11-8) Tracked leaders, led 8th, headed before 2 out, kept on same pace, 5th of 16, 5 3/4l behind Fact Flow (10-0) at Uttoxeter 2m 6f hcp (4) gd in May.
Closest Friend 10-1 (11-11) Towards rear, took closer order after 7th, tracked front pair after 4 out, challenged next, ridden after 2 out, kept on and every chance flat, just held, 2nd of 12, 1 1/2l behind Grow Nasa Grow (10-0) at Market Rasen 2m 5f hcp (4) gd in Aug.
Baron Du Plessis (FR) 2-1fav (12-1) Prominent, mistake 9th, driven 4 out, weakened before last, eased flat, tailed off, 7th of 10, dist behind Chill In The Wood (10-12) at Huntingdon 3m hcp (5) gd in Apr.
