pulled hard early, held up in rear, ridden on wide outside entering straight, soon beaten
carried head to one side throughout, led, hung persistently left from over 2f out, headed entering final furlong, no extra
hung right throughout, tracked leader, hung badly right from over 2f out and soon last place
took keen hold in 4th, 5th and ridden straight, weakened over 1f out
held up last, smooth headway on rail from 2f out, hampered and switched left over 1f out, driven and quickened to lead inside final furlong, soon clear
raced wide, held up in 6th, ridden over 2f out, soon beaten
tracked leaders in 3rd, went 2nd halfway, continually bumped from over 1f out, every chance, weakened final furlong
slowly into stride, soon in touch, 4th straight, headway and switched to rail over 1f out, driven to take narrow lead entering final furlong, headed and not pace of winner inside final furlong, kept on for clear 2nd
held up in 7th, pushed along early straight, headway over 2f out, slightly hampered over 1f out, stayed on to take 3rd towards finish
This may not be as competitive as it appears at first glance with several of the runners yet to prove their suitability to ground this testing including Echo of Light and Royal Oath, so Cesare looks the one they all have to beat. The selection was not beaten far in the Queen Anne last month, has decent winning form on a testing surface and gets the vote to resume winning ways. Dunelight has shown progressive form this term but has yet to prove his effectiveness on ground this soft, while Dark Islander faces no easy task on his reappearance. Echo of Light has more solid claims than Royal Oath under these conditions but Cesare looks the percentage call and he gets the verdict.
Dark Islander (IRE) 6-1 (8-10) Pulled,inside,wkened, 8th of 11, 15l behind Showing Up (8-10) at Hollywood Park 1m 2f Grp 1 std in Nov.
Echo of Light 10-1 (9-0) In touch to 2f out, soon beaten, last of 14, 4l behind Miesque's Approval (9-0) at Churchill Downs 1m Grp 1 std in Nov.
Racinger (FR) 16-1 (9-0) Mid-division, ridden 3f out, no headway over 1f out, kept on one pace, 6th of 8, 3l behind Ramonti (9-0) at Ascot 1m Grp 1 (1) gf in Jun.
Banknote (9-5) Prominent, led over 2f out, kept on when headed 1f out, 2nd of 5, 1l behind Soldier Hollow (9-7) at Dortmund 1m 1f Grp 3 (1) gd in Jun.
Cesare 9-2 (9-0) Mid-division, ridden over 2f out, soon outpaced, stayed on under pressure final furlong, closing on leaders near finish, 5th of 8, 1l behind Ramonti (9-0) at Ascot 1m Grp 1 (1) gf in Jun.
Charlie Cool 11-1 (9-3) Mid-division, headway over 1f out, stayed on same pace final furlong, 3rd of 12, 2 1/2l behind Championship Point (9-2) at Ascot 1m 2f lst hcp (1) gs in Jun.
Dunelight (IRE) 7-2 (9-5) Went left start, made all, drew clear from 1f out, comfortably, won at Goodwood 1m lst stk (1) gd in Jun beating Army of Angels (9-8) by 4l, 5 ran.
Royal Oath (USA) 9-1 (9-0) Held up in mid-division, headway travelling well 2f out, led over 1f out, quickened clear, easily, won at Ascot 1m hcap (2) gf in Jun beating Flipando (9-2) by 4l, 26 ran.
Heaven Sent 4-1 (9-1) Mid-division, chased leaders over 2f out, ridden to lead inside final 2f, no extra and headed close home, 2nd of 12, 1l behind Championship Point (9-2) at Ascot 1m 2f lst hcp (1) gs in Jun.
