This is an open handicap that can go the way of Bienheureux , who is preferred to Icannshift and Elopement. The selection won well last time at Brighton when beating Eldorado in an apprentice handicap, and as he escapes a penalty for that success he looks a solid bet to follow-up. Elopement showed improved form to score at Warwick last time when beating Sharmy, but that rival has since been out and disappointed so the form is questionable and we will take her on. Icannshift goes best on a right-handed track so he should handle this okay, but he was all-out to score last time and he may not find it easy to adopt his usual front-running tactics today so he is probably best watched. Sovietta put in an improved effort last time and certainly has a realistic each-way chance here, but Bienheureux won very easily last time and can score again.
Mae Cigan (FR) 10-3 (9-0) Held up and keen, headway on outer over 2f out, one pace, 4th of 9, 5l behind Royal Flynn (9-6) at Haydock 1m 3f hcap (5) hvy.
Raffish 13-2 (10-5) Chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, chased winner 2f out, no impression, 2nd of 12, 3 1/2l behind Winged d'Argent (11-5) at Nottingham 1m 6f hcap (4) sft.
Elopement (IRE) 9-2 (8-13) Made all, set steady gallop, quicken pace over 2f out, ridden out, won at Warwick 1m 3f hcp 0-65 (6) sft in Jun beating Sharmy (9-2) by 1 1/2l, 9 ran.
Spunger 25-1 (9-6) Held up, headway on inside and driven 2f out, never going pace to reach leaders, 5th of 10, 4 1/2l behind Tranquilizer (10-0) at Lingfield 1m 3f fll hcp (5) gd.
Icannshift (IRE) 16-1 (8-7) Made all and set good pace, driven along from 2f out, held on well final furlong, won at Folkestone 1m 4f hcp 0-60 (6) sft in Jun beating Selkirk Grace (8-7) by 3/4l, 12 ran.
Li Shih Chen 11-1 (9-3) Raced wide in touch, ridden over 2f out, weakened quickly over 1f out, last of 10, 21l behind Desert Dreamer (9-11) at Kempton 7f clm (5) pol.
Recalcitrant 7-1 (8-12) Held up in touch, ridden to challenge over 2f out, soon every chance, weakened final furlong, 5th of 10, 12l behind Bienheureux (8-10) at Brighton 1m 4f app hcp (6) gd.
Over Ice 20-1 (9-0) Slowly away, held up, driven on outside 2f out, no impression, 6th of 10, 6l behind Tranquilizer (10-0) at Lingfield 1m 3f fll hcp (5) gd.
Sovietta (IRE) 6-1 (8-13) Held up mid-division, headway from 3f out, ran on and hung badly right, no extra close home, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Raffish (9-3) at Warwick 1m 5f app hcp (6) sft.
Bienheureux 7-1 (8-10) Held up, headway over 3f out, not clear run over 2f out, soon switched left to challenge, led over 1f out, ran on well, won at Brighton 1m 4f app hcp (6) gd beating Eldorado (9-5) by 3 1/2l, 10 ran.
Merchant Bankes 25-1 (8-6) Reared start, mid-division, lost place over 4f out, soon behind, 11th of 14, 34l behind Hi Dancer (8-9) at Redcar 1m 6f hcp 0-60 (6) sft in Jun.
Don'tcallmeginger (IRE) 7-1 (8-3) Tracked leaders, ridden well over 1f out, stayed on to take 2nd inside final furlong, 2nd of 10, 2 1/2l behind Turn Of Phrase (9-6) at Pontefract 1m 2f app hcp (5) gd.
Zen Garden 50-1 (9-5) Pressed winner until over 5f out, ridden over 4f out, weakened over 3f out, last of 9, 24l behind Bee Sting (9-1) at Chester 1m 2f mdn stk (4) sft in Jun.
