led stand side group and overall leader, headed over 1f out, stayed on well close home
raced centre, chased leader, ridden to challenge over 2f out, soon one pace
led centre group, keen early, ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
raced stand side, tracked leader, ridden and every chance over 2f out, weakened final furlong
raced stand side, tracked leaders, led over 1f out, strongly challenged inside final furlong, held on well
raced centre, chased leaders, switched right to stand side group to chase winner 1f out, hard ridden and edged left uner pressure inside final furlong, no extra
A cracking renewal of this contest here with very little between the main protagonists Dubawi, Rakti and Starcraft and narrow preference is given to Dubawi. The selection won well last time out when beating Whipper and with his pacemaker Blatant in the field he looks sure to have the race run to suit. With more rain forecast which will be in his favour he looks the one to beat in an intriguing affair. Rakti rates the main danger on his best form but he is prone to throwing in the odd bad race and all will depend on how he handles the preliminaries - at the likely odds he looks worth taking on. Stagecraft also won well last time out when beating Gorella. His connections are very confident but his overall form leaves him with a few pounds to find. Mullins Bay won a Group 3 in good style when beating Andean last time but he will find this company much tougher. Sleeping Indian is improving with each race and could go well at a price, especially if the ground becomes very testing but for the winner we return to Dubawi whose credentials look rock solid.
Blatant 10-1 (9-2) Tracked leader, hard ridden to lead 1f out, headed inside final furlong, no extra towards finish, 4th of 6, 2 1/2l behind Fort Dignity (9-2) at Windsor 1m lst stk (1) gf in May.
Mullins Bay 5-2 (9-4) Tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, led 1f out, hung right inside final furlong, kept on, won at York 1m 1f Grp 3 (1) gf in Aug beating Andean (9-4) by a nk, 6 ran.
Rakti 5-6fav (9-0) Soon led, ridden and headed over 1f out, stayed on to chase winner final furlong, 2nd of 10, 1 1/2l behind Valixir (9-0) at York 1m Grp 1 (1) gf in Jun.
Sleeping Indian 7-4fav (9-0) Chased leaders, ridden to lead 1f out, soon hung right, headed post, 2nd of 11, shd behind Iffraaj (9-0) at Doncaster 7f Grp 2 (1) gf.
Starcraft (NZ) 13-2 (9-2) won at Longchamp 1m Grp 1 gd beating Gorella (8-8) by 2 1/2l, 9 ran.
Dubawi (IRE) 10-3 (8-11) won at Deauville 1m Grp 1 (1) gs in Aug beating Whipper (9-4) by 1 1/2l, 6 ran.
