tracked leaders, raced wide and led over 5f out, ridden and headed over 2f out, no extra well inside final furlong
ridden and headway over 3f out, kept on to take second inside final furlong
held up in rear, ridden over 2f out, good headway over 1f out, ran on well inside final furlong, not reached leaders
led for 1f, remained prominent, challenged 3f out, ridden to lead over 2f out, kept on well inside final furlong, ridden out
led after 1f, headed over 5f out, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 1f out
From 20 entries at the five day stage, this is something of a poor turnout for a valuable prize. However, none of the five runners can be safely ignored and it should be a competitive contest nonetheless. Hughie Morrison has his team in fine form and has amassed nearly ¿200,000 in win and place money. He has a 10% strike rate with his older horses and Adjawar is the choice to keep that run going. Bred by His Highness The Aga Khan, Adjawar has fallen short of what was expected of him but, this isn't the strongest of Class C Handicaps and he is taken to land his biggest prize to date. The only three-year-old in the line up Pantone is holding her form well and certainly found improvement for the step up to this trip last time at Ripon, where she was only just denied by Conquering Love. A similar effort here would see her go very close again. The maiden In Luck can normally be relied upon to find one or two to good for her, while the old man of the party, Montecristo, showed he still has what it takes when beaten around two-lengths by Custer at Haydock, the form of which has already been given a boost by the fourth Wiggy Smith, who won a Handicap at Newbury last week. Although Indian Solitaire has just the one win to his name, gained nearly two years ago, he has struggled in the face of some stiff tasks. The Handicapper is beginning to relent a little now and it would come as no surprise to see him go close. But Adjawar comes into this at the top of his form and is taken to give weight away all round.
