prominent, led 4f out, ridden over 2f out, headed and not quicken well inside final furlong
in touch, ridden over 2f out, ran on to lead well inside final furlong
held up and keen, ridden and headway over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
mid-division, headway over 4f out, ridden 3f out, weakened over 1f out
mid-division, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened
in touch, ridden over 4f out, soon weakened
behind, effort over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
held up, headway over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
prominent, ridden over 2f out, weakened final furlong
held up, headway over 3f out, soon ridden, weakened over 1f out
led 10f, soon weakened
A cracking contest for the Listed event, as you would expected. Hannibal Lad produced quite a shock in this last year when seeing off the likes of Bosham Mill and the odds on Double Honour. Mark Johnston, who supplied the latter, relies on Darasim this time around. He is sure to strip sharper for his outing at Doncaster, and a reproduction of his run in the Group 2 Lonsdale Stakes at York last year, should be good enough in this. He is taken to turn around the form with Mesmeric, who was just in front of him on Town Moor, as this step up in trip looks sure to suit him better. Last years Tote Ebor third Barathea Blazer, may provide the biggest threat. Peter Harris' four-year-old is still open to some improvement, having only had eight outings to date. Whatever his fate here, he looks a horse to follow this term. Dusky Warbler took a rare scalp when getting the verdict over the subsequent high-class Moon Ballad in the Stewards room at Newmarket on his debut. Michael Bell's gelding hasn't gone on quite as expected, but it could be that the best of him is yet to come.
