towards rear, ridden over 3f out, kept on same pace approaching final furlong
in rear, pushed along over 4f out, kept on, final 2 furlongs
led, quickened pace over 5f out, ridden 4f out, headed over 3f out, lost place 2f out, eased inside final furlong
in touch, ridden over 3f out, stayed on same pace final 2 furlongs
chaced leaders, ridden over 3f out, lost pace over 2f out
The lightly-raced Sahem gets a tentative vote to land this very tricky finale, with Barolo, Conquering Love and Theatre all worthy of respect. Don Eddy's six-year-old Sadler's Wells gelding was a former bumper winner under National Hunt rules, and has been a model of consistency on the flat. He won his third start in maiden company at Hamilton, and was by no means disgraced when third to Hambleden on his handicap debut over a mile and a half at Thirsk. The handicapper has been somewhat generous by dropping him a couple of pounds, and the extra two furlongs should help as well. Barolo recorded a good time when bolting up in handicap company at Newmarket and Peter Harris' four-year-old is clearly on the upgrade, so rates a big danger despite a nine pound rise in the weights here. Theatre will have no worries about staying the trip, having scored over two miles at Newbury last month, and Jamie Poulton's charge was not disgraced by any means over this trip at Goodwood last time, so he too must come into the reckoning. The same can be said of Brian Ellison's Conquering Love, who has been in good form at Musselburgh recently, although a line through Trouble Mountain suggests that he has a bit to find with Sahem at these weights.
