keen, close up, led 3f out, ridden and ran on
held up, headway 5f out, ridden 3f out, no impression final 2f
led, headed over 4f out, weakened 3f out
keen, held up, headway 5f out to go prominent, ridden and chased winner over 2f out, stayed on same pace
keen, tracked leader, led over 4f out, until 3f out, kept on one pace
keen, in touch, ridden 3f out, weakened over 1f out
A trappy low-grade handicap with Beechy Bank open to improvement at this trip, while Distant Cousin comes here in good heart after a couple of decent efforts last month, but Khuzdar has form over course and distance and gets the vote. Mick Channon's gelding has excuses for a couple of below par efforts of late, where he found the 12-furlongs too sharp for him at Warwick and the rain-softened ground against him at Beverely. Back on his favoured surface here, and over a more suitable trip, can see him back in the winners enclosure. Distant Cousin will not be inconvenienced by the ground or trip, but there is a suspicion he is more effective on the All-Weather. So the main threat could come from Beechy Bank, who has shaped as though she may improve for the step up in trip. She can run off the same mark as when a close-up fourth behind Easter Parade at Chepstow in May, her first outing of the season, so it is safe to assume she may have needed that outing, and she wasn't seen to best effect around the sharp turns of Windsor. This galloping track should see her in a better light and if lasting home, will ensure Khuzdar does not have things all his own way.
