no fluent 1st circuit, led until 3rd, chased leader until hit next, 2nd again 6th, hit next, challenged 13th, led well before 2 out, headed last, rallied close home, just failed
took keen hold, tracked leading pair, went 2nd 4th until 6th, 2nd again before 2 out, ridden to lead last, just held on, all out
chased leader, led 3rd until well before 2 out, lost 2nd before 2 out, weakened, eased
Finian's Oscar was never travelling in a Grade 1 at Sandown earlier this month and was the first beaten. He is much better than that but won’t find this easy giving weight to two equally-promising rivals. BENATAR beat last Saturday’s Doncaster Grade 2 winner Keeper Hill by nine lengths at Plumpton having made an impressive winning start over fences here earlier. He gets a tentative vote even though Dolos has his four-year-old allowance and won in a canter here last month so will make a bold bid to give Paul Nicholls a fourth successive victory in the contest.
Finian's Oscar (IRE) 13-8fav (11-2) Tracked leaders, jumped slowly 5th and 6th, soon outpaced in rear, tailed off after 4 out, left in 4th 2 out, left in remote 3rd at last, 3rd of 5, dist behind Sceau Royal (11-2) at Sandown 2m (1) gs in Dec.
Benatar (IRE) 4-9fav (11-7) Left in lead 1st, clear until hit 8th, clear again next, pushed along after 3 out, ridden before next, idled in front, unchallenged, driven out, won at Plumpton 2m 4f (3) gs in Nov beating Keeper Hill (11-7) by 9l, 3 ran.
Dolos (FR) 11-4 (10-8) Jumped well, tracked leading pair, left in close 2nd and slightly hampered 2nd, closed 7th, led going well 3 out, soon clear, very easily, won at Ascot 2m 3f (3) gs in Nov beating Sternrubin (11-2) by 29l, 4 ran.
