disputed lead, ridden halfway and soon lost place, weakened over 1f out and eased inside final furlong
slowly into stride, in touch, ridden over 2f out, kept on one pace final furlong
made all, ridden 2f out, kept on well
held up, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, challenged winner inside final furlong, no extra close home
With both Vaudevire and Beaver Diva moderate at best and Head Of State having plenty to do at the weights, this should be little more than a match between Wares Home and Arfinnit, with the latter taken to confirm Ripon superiority over Karl Burke's gelding. The selection is no world-beater but a reproduction of the form shown when beating Wares Home at the Yorkshire venue should suffice for Mick Channon's colt gelding who meets Arfinnit on just 2lbs worse terms for one-and-a-half lengths. Ralph Beckett's Head Of State is easily the best of the remainder but the son of Primo Dominie has yet to show the same level of form on turf as on the all-weather and is difficult to recommend on these terms.