started slowly, held up in rear, short of room over 2f out and again over 1f out, stayed on well approaching final furlong, nearest finish
steadied start, held up in rear, ridden over 2f out, late headway final furlong, never dangerous
held up and behind, headway over 2f out, kept on same pace for over 1f out, never troubled leaders
tracked leader, ridden over 2f out and weakened
held up mid-division, ridden and outpaced over 2f out, dropped towards rear, ran on under pressure final furlong, never nearer
tracked leaders, effort over 2f out, ridden and no extra from over 1f out
made all, stayed on well final furlong, ridden out and unchallenged
held up in touch on outer, effort 3f out, soon ridden and weakened over 1f out
held up in touch, chased winner over 1f out, hard ridden final furlong, kept on, not pace of winner
The most-valuable race on the card can go to Sir Michael Stoute's Namroud. After scrambling home after getting outpaced at Chester the time before last, the colt finished stone last in Royal Ascot's Wokingham Stakes last time. This will be more to his liking and he can confirm the good impression he left earlier, especially now that he has been dropped five pounds for that poor Ascot effort and the fact that he races over a longer trip too. Shot To Fame caught the eye over a mile at Newbury the time before last but then disappointed at Ascot over two furlongs further. He clearly has ability and, back to a mile today, this lightly-raced gelding could go well. Harb is another who should not be dismissed lightly. An example of a two-year-old winner who struggles to find his slot at three, he ran better than his finishing position suggested at Goodwood last time. He too is lightly raced an might improve for a step up in trip. Another lightly- raced runner is James Fanshawe's Dubrovsky, who has had just four runs. A good third at Newmarket last time brings him here in good heart and he has to be respected. Finished Article and Yakimov also come here on the back on wins. Yakimov runs here under a penalty following a a Leicester win, although more will be needed, and Finished Article has been raised three pounds for a narrow Goodwood win which might make it difficult for him to land the spoils again. He is also closely weighted with Irony on that Goodwood run, Irony still struggling to regain his very useful juvenile form. Convent Girl is a course and distance winner but the feeling is that more will be needed than has currently been shown for her to claim the winner's purse. Overall, then, we are happy to stick with Namroud, who should have better to come.
