in touch, effort and driven 4f out, weakened over 2f out
chased leaders, ridden and unable to quicken over 2f out, hard driven and kept on towards finish
pulled hard early and held up towards rear, steady headway from 3f out, chased leaders 2f out, hard ridden to lead over 1f out, held on under pressure final furlong
led, hard driven 2f out, headed over 1f out, no extra well inside final furlong
in touch, ridden to challenge 2f out, kept on under pressure final furlong
chased leader, ridden and every chance 2f out, quickened inside final furlong
held up in rear, headway on inside over 2f out, chased leaders entering final furlong, no extra towards finish
towards rear, headway and edged left from 2f out, kept on but never going pace to reach leaders
always rear, struggling halfway, tailed off
Newbury bumpers often produce decent runners and this might be no different with the shortlist consisting of Royal Stardust, Bumper, Creinch, Le Galactico and Ice Cream, and the vote going to Royal Stardust. Royal Stardust has to be of interest here from the Terry Mills stable. By Cloudings out of a Blakeney mare, there is plenty to like about him on breeding and, also, it would be slightly surprising if he didn't show up here, especially as Richard Johnson catches the eye as a jockey booking. The French-bred newcomer, Bumper, has to be of interest from the Martin Pipe stable and would, of course, be an appropriately-named winner of this race. Oliver Sherwood's Creinch, Alan King's Le Galactico, Merrick Francis's Ice Cream, Henrietta Knight's Star Fever and Brendan Powell's all-weather bumper third, Xcentra, should be watched for in the betting, while Dearson might do better at this track than at Towcester, where he ran on his debut. Overall, though, we are happy to side with Royal Stardust.
