slowly away, always behind
prominent, ridden 2f out, no extra final furlong
went right start, led, headed over 3f out, led again over 2f out, ridden and edged right over 1f out, soon headed, one pace inside final furlong
held up, headway 2f out, hung left and led 1f out, continued to drift left, ran on well
hampered start, always in rear
tracked leaders, lost place over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, stayed on to go 2nd well inside final furlong, no impression
half reared stalls, prominent, led over 3f out until over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
prominent, pushed along 3f out, weakened inside final furlong
hampered start, chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
Blushing Russian is given the nomination here ahead of High Window and Fern House. The selection doesn't win often but actually put up a fair performance behind Dodaa at Wolverhampton last week, and if able to reproduce that sort of form at this level, he could be worth more than a cursory glance here. High Window has the services of a decent pilot and is watched in the market despite a record that reads 0 from 21. Fern House has been tried over further in the past but was not disgraced behind Triskaidekaphobia at Wolverhampton when tried in first time blinkers. Savile's Delight drops back to the minimum trip for the first time in almost a year while the enigmatic Percy Douglas is tried under an amateur rider rather than Ann Stokell. Eastern Princess tries blinkers rather than his regular visor. Preskani would have been up to winning this a while ago but has lost the plot dramatically. A bad race chock full of plenty of performers in headgear and Blushing Russian is put forward as only the most token of selections.
Fern House (IRE) 9-1 (8-6) Tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 8, 10l behind Garlogs (8-6) at W'hampton 5f hcp (6) std.
Eastern Princess 25-1 (8-6) In touch, chased leaders 2f out, not quicken over 1f out, weakened final furlong, 7th of 12, 4 1/2l behind Scarlett Heart (9-0) at Lingfield 6f 3yo sll (6) pol in Oct.
Blushing Russian (IRE) 13-2 (8-9) Chased leaders, not clear run on inside over 2f out, ridden to go 2nd well over 1f out, no impression, 2nd of 12, 2l behind Dodaa (9-0) at W'hampton 5f app stk (7) pol.
Savile's Delight (IRE) 3-1fav (8-5) Tracked leader, led over 4f out, ridden and headed over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 6th of 10, 6l behind Trinculo (8-13) at Southwell 6f hcp (6) fbs in Dec.
Kitchen Sink (IRE) 66-1 (8-3) Soon in rear, outpaced before halfway, 8th of 9, 8l behind Green Lagonda (9-3) at W'hampton 6f clm (6) pol in Dec.
High Window (IRE) 33-1 (8-10) Towards rear and soon ridden along, some late headway but never troubled leaders, 8th of 13, 10l behind Van Ruymbeke (9-3) at Southwell 6f mdn stk (5) fbs in Dec.
Percy Douglas 33-1 (8-3) Tracked leaders to 2f out, gradually weakened, 7th of 10, 4 1/2l behind Ace Club (8-6) at W'hampton 5f hcp (6) pol in Dec.
Preskani 66-1 (8-6) Always behind, 9th of 11, 20l behind Dickie Le Davoir (9-1) at W'hampton 7f clm (6) pol in Dec.
Telepathic (IRE) 80-1 (8-12) Led early, prominent, pushed along over 3f out, ridden and weakened over 2f out, last of 8, 26l behind Obe Royal (8-10) at W'hampton 7f clm (6) pol.