led, headed 2nd, led against 3rd, headed 12th, hit 4 out, ridden next, kept on one pace
held up in touch, closer order 9th, ridden 13th, weakened 4 out
held up, headway after 13th, chased leader 3 out, ridden out to lead flat
held up, blundered 8th, headway approaching 14th, ridden to chase leaders 3 out, mistake 2 out, soon weakened
led 2nd, headed 3rd, led again 12th, ridden when hit 4 out, all out when headed after last
held up tracking leaders, mistake 8th, lost place 10th, behind when pulled up 4 out
Course and distance winner Deliceo will be a warm order here after staying on well to win on his reappearance and we take him to defy a 6lb penalty and follow up, with Kety Star an obvious danger and Maria Pia worth a look. The selection handles this trip and some cut in the ground well, and although he has yet to win two in a row in his career, he has run well in defeat and there is no real reason for that other than meeting a better horse on the day. Here he meets opponents largely out of form and can take advantage. Kety Star has not won for almost a year, but now that the handicapper is slackening his grip on the gelding, he can show much more prominently. A decent jumper, he is still 2lb higher than his career best winning mark, and the bit of cut is not certain to suit, so he is again opposed. Maria Pia makes the trip from Ireland and is respected, especially as he should like conditions, but he was well beaten last time and has a bit to prove, so we take Deliceo to follow up his Huntingdon success.
