led, ridden 2 out, headed briefly last, stayed on gamely run-in
held up in rear, pushed along after 3 out, headway and effort approaching last, no extra run-in
toward rear, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off when pulled up after next
tracked winner, ridden to lead briefly last, no extra towards finish
held up in touch, pushed along after 3 out, effort between last 2, weakened run-in
raced keen prominent, ridden and weakened approaching 2 out, tailed off and dismounted before next
Catch The Perk gets the confident vote in the opener with Combat Drinker and Alghaazy the pair likely to give him the most to think about. The selection is a course and distance winner who ran well enough on his return from a break last time at Perth when second behind Decisive. He was no match for the winner that day, but he is sure to benefit from that pipe opener and there is nothing in the calibre of Decisive in the field today. Combat Drinker was beaten by a distance at Bangor last time, but he would enter the equation today on the basis of his winning effort at Wetherby. He has not run up to that level in his two subsequent outings but he is not one to dismiss lightly. Alghaazy just failed to hold-off the challenge of Celtic Charisma at Newcastle last time but that was over 2m and he has questions to answer over this much longer trip. The rider of Rathlin Island failed to draw the correct weight on weighing-in after he lost his weight-cloth at Sedgefield on Tuesday. He won the race but was disqualified, so he is another that has to enter calculations here. However, Catch The Perk has plenty in his favour today and is taken to score.
Catch The Perk (IRE) 7-2 (11-0) With winner, driven along halfway, outpaced 4 out, chased winner next, no impression, 2nd of 7, 19l behind Decisive (11-9) at Perth 3m nov hdl (E) gs.
Combat Drinker (IRE) 5-2fav (11-2) Held up, headway approaching 4th, 2nd when blundered 8th, ridden approaching 3 out, weakened approaching 2 out, tailed off, 9th of 16, well behind Little Task (11-0) at Bangor 3m cnd hcp hdl 0-95 (F) gs in Jul.
Amanpuri (GER) 25-1 (10-13) Prominent, led 5th, ridden and headed final bend, soon weakened and fell at the last in race won by Almaydan (11-2) at Taunton 2m 1f mdn hdl (D) gs in Feb '04, 14 ran.
Rathlin Island 16-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, outpaced 4 out, ridden and headway after next, kept on to lead towards finish, won at Sedgefield 2m 5f cnd hcp hdl 0-90 (F) gf beating Fortune's Fool (10-9) by 1 1/2l. Later dsq to last, 12 ran.
Alghaazy (IRE) 10-1 (8-9) Chased leaders, ridden to lead over 3f out, headed inside last, kept on, 2nd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Celtic Carisma (7-12) at Newcastle 2m hcp (6) gf (Flat).
Silver Emperor (IRE) 100-1 (10-10) Held up in touch, ridden 6th, soon weakened, 5th of 10, well behind Decisive (11-4) at N Abbot 2m 3f nov hdl (D) gd in Aug.
