held up in rear, pushed along and struggling over 3f out, virtually pulled up final 2f
chased winner to halfway, weakened rapidly and virtually pulled up final 3f
held up, promising headway to chase winner 3f out, no impression from 2f out, soon lost poor 2nd
prominent, chased winner halfway to 3f out, weakened quickly
in touch, pushed along 4f out, stayed on to take poor 2nd over 1f out, no chance
in touch, ridden and weakened over 3f out, tailed off when virtually pulled up final 2f
always behind, pulled up and dismounted 2f out
The lightly-raced Asian Heights can make up for lost time to land this Group 3 contest, with Collier Hill and The Whistling Teal expected to run well also. Asian Heights has been hard to keep sound but has managed to win five of his eight career starts so far, and in fact his only unplaced effort came in the 20002 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Geoff Wragg's charge has been absent since landing the Ormonde Stakes at Chester in May last year, but has been working well enough to command respect today. Although that victory was gained on fast ground, he has also won decent races in testing conditions, so the ground is not a worry. He goes well fresh and can take all the beating ahead of Collier Hill who seems to be getting better as he gets older. He produced a really gutsy effort to win the Stockholm Cup and should have run in the Canadian International. Transport problems prevented that, but he will turn up here with a sound chance. The selection's stablemate The Whistling Teal is no stranger to success in this event, having won it two years ago, and he was fifth last year. He should acquit himself well, while best of the three-year-olds could well be Massif Centrale who will make a smashing hurdler if connections go that route next year. Class should tell here though, and with that in mind, Asian Heights is the one to beat.
