dwelt, held up behind leaders, driven along on outside over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
held up last, headway on outside to chase winner over 3f out, stayed on, ridden final furlong, always held
soon chasing winner, driven along over 6f out, lost 2nd over 3f out, soon weakened
made virtually all, driven and strongly pressed from 2f out, in command inside final furlong, stayed on gamely
tracked leaders, driven over 3f out, weakened quickly, tailed off
tracked leaders in 4th until dropped to last over 4f out, not clear run over 3f out until over 2f out, hung right and stayed on to go 3rd 2f out, no impression
The Last Drop is selected here ahead of Hawridge Prince and Tungsten Strike. The St Leger runner-up, The Last Drop, was unlucky not to make a winning return at Nottingham last time and, with the race conditions suiting him pretty well, for us he rates the one to beat today. Hawridge Prince was behind him on that occasion but is now three pounds better off for a length. Baddam improved last season but will probably need to keep it coming, while Odiham will need to transfer his improved all-weather form of late to Turf if he is to feature. Tungsten Strike would hold very good claims based on his Henry II Stakes win of last season, but subsequent efforts did not match it, and Weightless also has to find improved form if he is to score. All of which returns us to the choice, which is The Last Drop.
Hawridge Prince 8-1 (9-6) Mid-division, ridden and headway over 3f out, stayed on inside final furlong, 4th of 8, 1l behind Mount Kilimanjaro (8-11) at Nottingham 1m 6f lst stk (1) gf in Apr.
Baddam 33-1 (9-10) In rear, ridden 5f out, weakened 3f out, 26th of 31, 42l behind Detroit City (9-1) at Newmarket 2m 2f hcap (2) gs in Oct.
Odiham 10-3 (9-8) Tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd over 1f out, stayed on final furlong, led near finish, won at Kempton 2m hcp 0-105 (2) pol in Apr beating Salute (8-6) by a nk, 6 ran.
Tungsten Strike (USA) 15-2 (9-4) Chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, 7th of 8, 19l behind Sergeant Cecil (9-4) at York 2m 2f Grp 2 (1) gd in Sept.
Weightless 14-1 (9-1) Chased leaders, ridden 2f out, stayed on under pressure final furlong, 3rd of 15, 3l behind Luberon (9-9) at Kempton 1m 3f hcp 0-105 (2) pol in Apr.
The Last Drop (IRE) 5-4fav (8-11) Chased leaders, outpaced over 2f out, soon not much room, switched right entering final furlong, stayed on to take 2nd towards finish, 2nd of 8, nk behind Mount Kilimanjaro (8-11) at Nottingham 1m 6f lst stk (1) gf in Apr.
