mid-division, pushed along over 2f out, brief effort over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
tracked leaders, effort 2f out, one pace final furlong
tracked winner, ridden and effort 2f out, one pace inside final furlong
mid-division, weakened halfway
mid-division, pushed along halfway, headway under pressure 2f out, kept on under pressure final furlong
in touch, ridden over 2f out, no impression final furlong
slowly into stride towards rear, pushed along halfway, ridden and no impression final 2f
This is a largely uncompetitive race to open the card and recent evidence suggests that Taggerty is more than capable of landing the spoils, so she gets our vote ahead of Sharoura and Friar Tuck. Taggerty is still a maiden, but has finished second in four of her last five races, and only lost by the narrowest of margins in maiden company at Warwick last time, which suggests she is more than capable of scoring off a mark of just 43 today. Sharoura also went down narrowly last time, by a neck to the progressive Ballyhurry at Musselburgh. The third home was a couple of lengths away and Richard Fahey's filly is sure to prove a big danger off the same mark here. Friar Tuck is now on a mark seven pounds lower than when winning an apprentice handicap at Redcar last September and although out of form earlier this year, he has run slightly better on his last two starts and in a race as weak as this it would be no surprise to see him reach the frame at least. However, Taggerty is in good heart just now and perhaps she deserves to get her head in front at last.
