led 4f, stayed prominent, ridden and weakened 4f out, tailed off
held up, headway 4f out, with winner 2f out, soon ridden, one pace inside final furlong
in touch until ridden and weakened over 2f out
prominent and raced keen, led briefly over 3f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out
slowly into stride, headway 4f out, ridden and every chance over 2f out, stayed on one pace inside final furlong
held up, ridden over 6f out, soon behind
held up, in touch, headway 4f out, led 3f out, soon ridden and driven out
prominent, led after 4f, headed over 3f out, soon ridden and weakened
This is a decent race by all-weather standards, and one which sees the once highly-rated Shayadi make his sand debut. Formerly mixing it with the likes of Sinndar in Ireland, he made an immediate impact for Mark Johnston when scoring at Pontefract in April 2001. Beset with problems since running down the field in the Ebor, he has been nursed back to health and finished in mid-division in the November Handicap on his latest start. If taking to to Wolverhampton, Shayadi can make a bold bid here. Nick Littmoden is a trainer to be feared here so Joely Green cannot be ruled out, despite not beating much over further in an amateurs event here last time, and Fiddlers Creek is chasing a hat-trick. Dick Allan's was impressive over the course and distance on his sand debut, but is up in class and has been hiked up 11lb by the handicapper. Our idea of the winner is Scent Of Victory who has always been held in high regard by connections but has only now started to show his true potential. Having made a winning all-weather debut at Lingfield, the son Polish Precedent hacked up over track and trip two weeks ago in the manner of a horse who must be followed. That was only his seventh career start and there will be much more to come, that seems certain. Having struck up a good relationship, not surprisingly, Dane O'Neill keeps the ride.
