tracked leaders, pushed along when hit 2 out hard, weakened flat
in touch, pushed along and struggling 5 out, pulled up 3 out
close up, tracked leader 4 out until approaching next, soon weakened, tailed off
towards rear, behind 3rd, pulled up approaching 7th
led, headed 5th, tracked leader until mistake 4 out, weakened next, tailed off
tracked leader, led 5th, ridden 2 out, joined next, headed towards finish
in touch, headway to track leader 3 out, ridden and every chance last, stayed on to lead towards finish
Here Comes McCoy has not quite made the expected progress from his early days though would have needed last month‘s run at Warwick. Five-times winner Coral Blue has looked a bit high since completing a double in February while Nowinittowinit ran very poorly at Musselburgh last time. BALLIN BAY, the youngest in the line-up, made all to see off Enemy At The Gate over a similar trip at Kelso. The runner-up will be slightly better off but the winner was returning from a long break and can go in again. None of the remainder can be dismissed in a tricky handicap.
Here Comes McCoy (IRE) 11-2 (11-10) Held up in last pair, headway out wide when not fluent 4 out, pushed along disputing 2nd home turn, ridden and dropped to 3rd between last two, 3rd of 7, 11 1/4l behind Lord Of Cheshire (11-8) at Warwick 2m 3f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Mount Melleray (IRE) 18-1 (11-4) Led, jumped left throughout, pushed along and joined 2 out, soon ridden and headed last, faded final 110 yards, 4th of 9, 4 1/4l behind Houston Texas (10-9) at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
Coral Blue (IRE) 25-1 (11-11) Front mid-division, lost ground before 3 out and beaten, 9th of 12, 32 1/2l behind Moonlight Glory (11-9) at Newcastle 2m 1f hcp (4) gs in Nov.
Nowinittowinit (IRE) 15-2 (11-4) In rear, shaken up approaching 4th, headway before 4 out, driven along next, soon outpaced, lost 4th final 110yds, 5th of 6, 32 3/4l behind Autumn Return (12-0) at Musselburgh 2m 4f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Ballin Bay (IRE) 10-3 (10-13) Made all, pressed for lead and ridden before 2 out where narrow lead, maintained advantage approaching last where better jump than rival, kept on well run-in, won at Kelso 2m 7f hcp (4) sft in Nov beating Enemy At The Gate (11-1) by 1 1/2l, 5 ran.
Enemy At The Gate (IRE) 6-4fav (11-1) Prominent, not fluent 4 out, ridden and pressed leader before 2 out where not fluent, not fluent last where narrowly behind, kept on run-in, held by winner, 2nd of 5, 1 1/2l behind Ballin Bay (10-13) at Kelso 2m 7f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Cream Of The West (IRE) 10-3 (11-3) Tracked leaders on inner, shaken up after 2 out, ridden approaching last, kept on but made no impression, 3rd of 6, 3 3/4l behind Inox Allen (11-3) at Hexham 2m 4f mdn (4) hvy in Nov.
