led 2f, tracked winner, pushed along 3f out, ridden and kept on same pace final furlong
close up in 4th, went 3rd 7f out, effort between horses over 2f out, weakened final furlong
slow into stride, led after 2f, shaken up and quickened clear over 1f out, comfortable
tracked leaders, dropped to 4th 7f out, ridden 2f out, went 3rd inside final furlong
Mark Johnston bids to win this for the third time in succession and has two of the four runners. Fraser Island has failed to build on an earlier win at Beverley but SIR RON PRIESTLEY continued his improvement when starting odds-on at Ripon and returning a wide-margin winner. The runner-up has since completed a double so that form looks better in hindsight and he gets the nod. Lariat has found one too good in both outings this year and been raised 6lb in the process.
Lariat 9-2 (9-4) Close up, ridden to lead over 1f out, soon headed, kept on one pace final furlong, 2nd of 10, 2 1/2l behind Sam Cooke (9-3) at Chester 1m 4f hcp (3) sft in May.
Felix The Poet 13-8fav (9-5) Tracked leader until 8f out, tracked leaders, 2nd again over 1f out, ridden and stayed on inside final furlong, joined leader on line, won at Wolverhampton 1m 1f (4) pol in Nov beating Trolius (9-7), 5 ran.
Sir Ron Priestley 4-9fav (9-5) Pressed leader, led 2f out, clear entering final furlong, ran on, won at Ripon 1m 4f stks (5) gd in Apr beating Babbo's Boy (9-5) by 6l, 7 ran.
Fraser Island (IRE) 6-1 (9-5) Tracked leader, ridden to challenge over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 7th of 9, 11 1/4l behind Summer Moon (9-5) at York 1m 4f hcp (4) gf in May.
