in touch, headway 3rd to track leaders, pushed along 4 out, outpaced next
in touch, ridden and weakened approaching 4 out
held up in touch, headway and effort approaching 2 out, soon one pace
towards rear, never dangerous
towards rear, never dangerous
tracked leader, led 3rd, mistake 4th, headed approaching 4 out, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up before last
mid-division, headway 3 out, effort 2 out, stayed on to chase winner approaching last, kept on same pace
held up in rear, headway approaching 2 out, effort approaching last, kept on one pace
held up in mid-division, headway to lead approaching 34 out, clear 2 out, not fluent last, pushed out
in touch until weakened approaching 4 out
held up in rear, pushed along 3 out, stayed on one pace from next
led, headed 3rd, soon weakened, behind when pulled up before 4 out
mid-division, weakened 4 out
mid-division, pushed along 4 out, headway under pressure next, soon weakened
towards rear, mistake 2nd,weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 2 out
in touch, weakened approaching 4 out
behind, weakened halfway, tailed off when pulled up before 3 out
Veteran Xaipete could roll back the years here to take the prize although cases can be made for Billie John, Basinet, and Cyborg De Sou. Larry McGrath has the ride on the evergreen twelve-year-old and the horse has at least been dropped two pounds in the handicap following a recent defeat in a seller. On that occasion he had an inexperienced pilot on board who set the horse alight much too early at Hexham and this allowed him to become a sitting target for the rest of them. With cut in the ground likely, Xaipete is sure to give a good account of himself. Billie John has shaped up into a nice chaser and is here off a 10lb lower mark vis-a-vis that discipline. A situation that is equally applicable to Gone Too Far. Basinet does not look the easiest of rides but he won well enough at Cartmel although the handicapper took a dim view of it. Cyborg De Sou reportedly finished distressed at Wetherby last time out. There is surely more to come from the ex-Irish import. Of the remainder Dix Bay is highly interesting. He consented to lose a claimer at Wetherby last May when looking all over the winner and it wouldn't be the greatest of surprises to see him fit and firing here this afternoon. Xaipete gets our vote in a tricky handicap.
