got warm before race, slowly into stride, held up in rear, ridden over 3f out, stayed on from over 1f out, went 3rd inside final furlong, no chance with winner
started slowly, held up in rear, some headway over 3f out, no impression and well beaten final 2f
mid-division, lost place over 3f out, well beaten over 2f out
mid-division, headway going well over 3f out, went 2nd on bit over 2f out, shaken up to lead over 1f out, quickened smartly and immediately clear, impressive
chased leader, challenged over 5f out, ridden over 3f out, lost 2nd over 2f out, no chance with winner over 1f out, one pace and lost 3rd inside final furlong
raced in 3rd, ridden over 3f out, no chance with winner over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
raced keenly, led, got more lit up when pressed 10f out, headed over 1f out, no chance with winner, stayed on
raced in 6th, pushed along over 6f out, driven over 3f out, well beaten over 2f out
STRADIVARIUS bids to win this race for the third year running and is impossible to oppose after a promising reappearance over a trip too short in the Coronation Cup. Last year’s fourth Cross Counter got no nearer the champion at Goodwood when they last met and was behind Mekong and Prince Of Arran in Riyadh in January, though is better off at the weights with both. Technician was in cracking form in France in the autumn, beating Moonlight Spirit in the Prix Royal-Oak, but has more than four lengths to find with Nayef Road on their run together in last year’s St Leger with the Johnston four-year-old making a winning reappearance in the Sagaro Stakes at Newcastle ahead of Prince Of Arran and Withhold.
Cross Counter 5-4fav (9-10) 5th of 14, 6 3/4l behind Call The Wind (9-7) at Riyadh 1m 7f hcp gf in Feb.
Mekong 25-1 (9-2) 2nd of 14, 2 1/2l behind Call The Wind (9-7) at Riyadh 1m 7f hcp gf in Feb.
Prince Of Arran 11-1 (9-3) Mid-division, effort over 3f out, driven and disputing 2nd inside final furlong, 3rd and no extra towards finish, 3rd of 11, 2 1/4l behind Nayef Road (9-0) at Newcastle 2m Grp 3 stks (1) pol in Jun.
Stradivarius (IRE) 4-1 (9-0) Held up off the pace in 4th, pushed along 5f out, went 2nd over 2f out, no chance with winner when lost 2nd over 1f out, stayed on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 7, 5l behind Ghaiyyath (9-0) at Newmarket 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gf in Jun.
Withhold 10-3fav (9-0) Led, headed over 2f out, soon weakened, 7th of 11, 10l behind Nayef Road (9-0) at Newcastle 2m Grp 3 stks (1) pol in Jun.
Moonlight Spirit (IRE) (9-2) 2nd of 10, 3/4l behind Technician (9-2) at ParisLongchamp 1m 7f Grp 2 gs in Oct.
Nayef Road (IRE) 8-1 (9-0) Tracked leader, led over 2f out, driven over 1f out, stayed on well inside final furlong, won at Newcastle 2m Grp 3 stks (1) pol in Jun beating Mildenberger (9-0) by 3/4l, 11 ran.
Technician (IRE) (8-10) won at ParisLongchamp 1m 7f Grp 1 hvy in Oct beating Call The Wind (9-4) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.
