led, headed 3 out, ridden and hit last, kept on same pace
with leader, reminders after 3rd, pushed along after 4 out, in 3rd and weakened from next
tracked leaders on outside, mistake 6th, pushed along after 4 out, soon ridden and weakened, tailed off
tracked leaders, reminders after 7th, soon weakened, tailed off
in rear, pushed along weakened approaching 7th
held up in touch, going well when went 2nd after 4 out, led next, kept on well from last, comfortably
KING OF CASTILE and Knar Mardy come out best at the weights here and it's the first-named who gets the vote. Evan Williams' gelding took in some fair handicaps with limited success during the winter but really seems to have found his level of late, having landed a similar contest to this one last time out. Richard Johnson takes over from AP in the plate but that shouldn't hinder his chances and, as a relatively unexposed and seemingly improving sort with conditions to suit, he's taken to double up. Knar Mardy had been disappointing prior to winning here last time but if his revised rating of 110 is accurate he should be hard to beat in receipt of weight. That may be so, especially if his confidence has been boosted by that first success, but on balance he still has a little to prove and this trip will be the furthest he's travelled. Pair Of Kings is interesting dropped into this grade for the first time. Alan Swinbank has his runners going well and this five-year-old has only had five starts. It's difficult to assess his liking for conditions as he's been well held in all of those but if the market were to speak highly of him it may pay to take note. In truth the rest make little appeal with Kalatime and Tirol Livit holding ratings of 72, although as with Pair Of Kings support for the unexposed Irish raider Sammy Pat would make him of some interest. In all probability this will boil down to a match between Knar Mardy and King Of Castile and it's the top horse who gets our vote.
King of Castile 4-5fav (10-12) Chased leader, led 6th, driven and headed 3 out, regained lead last, ridden out, won at Wetherby 2m 4f sll hdl (5) gd in May beating Jimbatai (10-5) by 2 1/4l, 6 ran.
Pair Of Kings (IRE) 18-1 (10-13) Prominent, mistake 9th, soon ridden and lost place, jumped slowly next, weakened approaching 3 out, 4th of 6, 25l behind Cool Mission (11-11) at Perth 3m hdl (4) gf in May.
Sammy Pat (IRE) 12-1 (11-2) Towards rear, trailing from halfway, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Spider Bob (10-5) at Downpatrick 2m 2f hcp hdl 80-102 gf in May, 15 ran.
Tirol Livit (IRE) 33-1 (9-11) With leader, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened, 10th of 12, well behind Pugnacity (10-1) at Sedgefield 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-95 (5) gf in May.
Kalatime (IRE) 100-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, in rear from 3rd, pushed along approaching 6th, soon weakened, tailed off, 7th of 8, well behind Smuglin (11-5) at Perth 2m 4f hdl (4) gf in May.
Knar Mardy 17-2 (10-7) Held up in touch, pushed along approaching 3 out, chased leader approaching 2 out, ridden and 1 length down and staying on when left in lead soon after last, soon clear, won at Wetherby 2m 4f mrs nov hdl (4) gd in May beating Astrolibra (11-3) by 10l, 7 ran.
