held up towards rear, slow 6th and dropped to last, outpaced 8th, soon well behind, pulled up before 3 out
chased leader, not fluent 9th, every chance 3 out, no extra 2 out
held up towards rear on outside, closed from 6th, mistake 4 out, not fluent 3 out, 2nd before last bend, led 2 out, headed flat, rallied to lead again last strides
held up in rear, keen early, headway on inside 3 out, challenged before last, led flat, headed last strides
raced freely, led, clear before 3rd until 5th, not fluent 3 out, headed 2 out, one pace and held in 3rd from last
held up in 4th, closed before 5th, every chance 3 out, beaten before next
chased leaders, slow 6th and lost place briefly, close 5th when mistake 3 out, outpaced and short of room before last bend, no impression in 4th when jumped left last
FOXTAIL HILL made all in this last year and is 2lb lower. He can be hard to peg back around here if allowed an easy lead and good ground suits but Bigmartre also likes to race up with the pace, though he is closely matched with Duke Of Navan on Doncaster running in January in a race in which the selection finished last. Modus has never raced over a trip this short over fences but this is a more realistic level and he makes more appeal than stablemate Tommy Silver. The handicapper may have reeled in Vosne Romanee while this is a big step up in grade for the hat-trick seeking Lillington.
Vosne Romanee 11-4jfav (11-0) Tracked front pair, went 2nd 3 out, outpaced by front pair after next, ridden and rallied to chase winner flat, held towards finish, 2nd of 5, 1 3/4l behind Nuts Well (10-4) at Kelso 2m 1f hcp (2) gd in Oct.
Bigmartre (FR) 4-1 (11-0) Led until 7th, went 2nd after 14th, led before 4 out, driven out, won at Ayr 2m 4f (1) gd in Apr beating Cobra De Mai (11-0) by 1 3/4l, 5 ran.
Modus 14-1 (11-4) Towards rear, not fluent 1st, headway 12th, weakened before 2 out, 5th of 6, 16l behind Finian's Oscar (11-4) at Aintree 2m 4f (1) gs in Apr.
Duke Of Navan (IRE) 7-1 (11-3) Held up in rear, headway 5th, led 7th, not fluent 4 out, headed last, no extra flat, 3rd of 11, 6 1/2l behind Theinval (11-2) at Ayr 2m hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Foxtail Hill (IRE) 8-1 (10-13) Led until 2nd, led 4th, headed 7th, lost place 4 out, soon weakened, 10th of 11, 29 1/2l behind Theinval (11-2) at Ayr 2m hcp lst (1) gd in Apr.
Tommy Silver (FR) 10-1 (10-13) Mid-division, not fluent 8th, weakened after 10th, 12th of 17, 20 3/4l behind Drumcliff (10-12) at Uttoxeter 2m 4f hcp (2) gd in May.
Lillington (IRE) 11-4 (11-9) Prominent, every chance after 3 out, led approaching omitted last, ran on well, won at Stratford 2m 1f hcp (4) gd in Oct beating Diamond Rock (11-3) by 10l, 7 ran.
