in touch, ridden and headway to go 2nd approaching 2 out, kept on
led until ridden and headed approaching 2 out, blundered 2 out, soon weakened
prominent, chased leader 3 out, one pace from 2 out
in touch, ridden 3 out, weakened approaching last
chased leader, ridden 3 out, soon weakened
mid-division, ridden after 5th, soon weakened, pulled up before 2 out
towards rear, ridden 3 out, headway approaching 2 out, kept on
prominent, ridden and outpaced 3 out, stayed on to go 4th from last
held up last, headway from 3 out, ridden and found nil approaching 2 out
held up towards rear, good headway 3 out, chased leader approaching 2 out, soon led, shaken up and pushed clear from last
towards rear, ridden 3 out, soon no chance
A 7lb penalty should not be enough to stop Prime Contender getting his nose in front again here, while Dusty Dane meets him on the same terms, and both Voir Dire and Monfils Monfils are respected. Prime Contender was a very easy Lingfield winner last time and the handicapper will be putting him up by 7lb soon, so this penalty is bringing that reassessment forward by a few days. Nevertheless, he looked good value for a bit more than that so even though he has to lump over 12 stones around here he is arguably still at least fairly treated and can take what is not a hot race. Dusty Dane finished 13 lengths adrfit of the selection at Lingfield nad off the same terms he looks hard pressed to do much about that this time. Monfils Monfils won a weak Huntingdon contest on soft ground in January but on the face of it he needs more than the 2lb drop he has recently received, though first time blinkers could transform him and he is respected from a top yard. Voir Dire had a spin at Stratford in October and may well get closer now, but Prime Contender looks the pick and can score.
Prime Contender 9-1 (11-9) Held up, headway to chase leaders before 4 out, went 2nd 3 out, led 2 out, soon in command, drew well clear flat, easily, won at Lingfield 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Nov beating Coconut Beach (11-2) by 9l, 9 ran.
Master Mahogany 10-1 (10-5) Never going well, always in rear, last of 10, 25l behind Missis Potts (10-13) at Ascot 2m hcp hdl 0-140 (2) gd in Nov.
Dusty Dane (IRE) 7-1 (10-13) Chased leaders, ridden after 3 out, soon outpaced, no danger after, 4th of 9, 13l behind Prime Contender (11-9) at Lingfield 2m hcp hdl 0-125 (3) gs in Nov.
Pocket Too 50-1 (10-2) Mid-division, behind from 6th, tailed off, 13th of 19, well behind Mendo (11-7) at Cheltenham 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-135 (3) sft in Nov.
Monfils Monfils (USA) 8-1 (11-4) Led, headed 3 out, soon weakened, 9th of 13, 26l behind Kempley Green (11-10) at Kempton 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Nov.
Voir Dire 50-1 (10-8) Mid-division, headway on inside 5th, not fluent 7th, ridden after 3 out, not fluent 2 out, stayed on same pace, 4th of 9, 5l behind Cantabilly (11-3) at Stratford 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-130 (3) gf in Oct.
Premier Hope (IRE) 12-1 (11-9) Tracked leaders, ridden to challenge 3 out, soon weakened, 6th of 11, 16l behind Scots Dragoon (10-7) at Huntingdon 2m 4f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gd in Oct.
Sonoma (IRE) 20-1 (11-5) Led until mistake and headed 8th, weakened before 3 out, tailed off, 9th of 12, well behind Alpha Juliet (10-2) at Plumpton 2m 5f hcp hdl 0-105 (4) gf in Sept.
Triple Bluff 40-1 (10-11) Held up towards rear, ridden in effort approaching 3 out, soon weakened, 7th of 13, well behind Artadi (10-11) at Taunton 2m 1f 4yo mdn hdl (4) gd in Mar.
Compton Star 12-1 (10-8) Behind, headway approaching 2 out, stayed on flat, 5th of 13, 11l behind Kempley Green (11-10) at Kempton 2m cnd hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gd in Nov.
Galant Eye (IRE) 14-1 (10-11) Mid-division, headway 4th, one pace from 2 out, 6th of 13, 7l behind Lahib The Fifth (11-10) at Worcester 2m hcp hdl 0-110 (4) gd in Jul '06.
