keen led, headed 8f out, tracked leader, ridden 2f out, weakened final furlong
tracked leader, led 8f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on same pace
slow into stride soon close up, smooth headway to lead over 1f out, ridden out
raced wide in touch in rear, wide and effort to chase leaders 3f out, weakened over 1f out
keen steadied back to be in touch in rear 10f out, headway over 1f out, ridden to press winner entering final furlong, not quicken towards finish
raced wide tracked leaders, pushed along and lost place 3f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on final furlong
This is easily the best race on the card and it’s a competitive one at that. Busy Street has form on this surface but is 15lb higher than when winning at Yarmouth in August while Not So Sleepy is another regularly placed on Turf. The former was beaten by Morning Wonder at Doncaster last month and Kevin Ryan’s charge has every chance while Not So Sleepy finished in front of a below par My Lord And Master when runner-up in the November Handicap at Doncaster earlier this month. Victoria Drummond romped home in a lower grade contest here earlier but is now 12lb higher and dual novice winner CORELLI (NAP) is preferred despite an absence. Something went amiss with the latter in the Lingfield Derby Trial in May but John Gosden has an excellent strike rate at this venue and the half-brother to the stable’s St Leger hero Lucarno is taken to make a winning return.
Morning Wonder (IRE) 5-1 (8-6) Raced wide close up, headway to lead approaching final 2f, hung left over 1f out, ridden and ran on, won at Doncaster 1m 4f hcp (2) gs in Oct beating Jabbaar (9-2) by 3 1/2l, 10 ran.
Busy Street 9-2 (9-2) Tracked leader, led over 3f out, ridden and headed approaching 2f out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 10, 6 1/2l behind Morning Wonder (8-6) at Doncaster 1m 4f hcp (2) gs in Oct.
Corelli (USA) 4-1 (9-0) Dwelt took keen hold raced wide, in touch 8f out, ridden 3f out, headway under pressure 2f out, no threat to winner, 3rd of 9, 10 1/4l behind Knight To Behold (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 4f lst stks (1) gf in May.
My Lord And Master (IRE) 15-2 (9-1) Held up in mid-division, pushed along 3f out, weakened 2f out, 12th of 23, 8 1/2l behind Royal Line (9-8) at Doncaster 1m 4f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
Three Weeks (USA) 9-2 (9-3) Held up towards rear in slowly run race, good headway on outside over 1f out, kept on under pressure inside final furlong, lost 3rd final strides, 4th of 13, 1 3/4l behind Podemos (9-5) at Kempton 1m 3f hcp (4) pol in Oct.
Victoria Drummond (IRE) 5-2fav (8-1) Led, ridden and headed 2f out, kept on one pace, 3rd of 9, 1 1/2l behind Seafarer (8-11) at Newcastle 1m 4f hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Not So Sleepy 33-1 (8-13) Took keen hold on inside in touch, switched right over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, took 2nd near post, not trouble winner, 2nd of 23, 1 1/2l behind Royal Line (9-8) at Doncaster 1m 4f hcp (2) sft in Nov.
New Dream (IRE) 50-1 (8-12) Held up behind, outpaced when hung left over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 8, 19 1/4l behind Thirlmere (8-12) at Newcastle 6f fll stks (5) pol in Nov.
