with winner, led 3f out, hard ridden over 1f out, no extra when headed close home
led, headed 3f out, with leader, ridden 1f out, ran on well to lead close home
tracked leaders in close 3rd, ridden 2f out, not pace of leading pair final furlong
Disappointingly just four runners stand their ground for this two-year-old contest and, unless Venables shows much improved form for his Newmarket debut, Tahreeb should score from Petardias Magic. The last mentioned stepped up on his first start when winning a maiden auction event at Nottingham last month, after which an attempt at the Windsor Castle Stakes was muted by connections. It could be significant that they sidestepped a possible engagement there to go for this but, in receipt of 2lbs, Tahreeb looks the one to be on. Marcus Tregoning's colt ran a race full of promise when second to the useful Gwaihir in a big-field maiden at Newbury. That represents the best form on offer here and a reproduction of that effort should suffice. Venables cut little ice on his debut and while Roger Charlton's Megan's Bay, a daughter of Muhtarram, warrants respect on her debut, this is expected to go to Tahreeb.
