tracked leaders, jumped right 1st, pushed along after 3 out, 3rd and no impression before next
led, wandered into 5th where not fluent, ridden and headed 2 out, soon no impression on winner
mid-division, not fluent and struggling 5th, well beaten 3 out
held up in rear, not fluent 3rd, ridden after next, tailed off 3 out
mid-division on outside, not fluent 1st or 5th, headway after 6th, chasing leaders next, weakened before 3 out
always prominent, led 2 out, clear approaching last, easily
prominent, mistake 1st, wandered into next, mistake 6th and pushed along, weakened before 2 out
mid-division, jumped right 2nd, headway after 4th, 6th and in touch 3 out, weakened before next, 5th and well held when fell last
held up in rear, mistake 2nd, modest 8th 3 out, soon weakened
Saint Thomas won five times on the Flat up to 1m4f and made Franciscan work harder than expected on his hurdling debut over course and distance last month. He will be winning soon judged on that effort but we're expecting a bit more of EDMAAJ this season and this looks a decent starting point. He was a little novicey in two runs last winter but showed promise and will have had plenty of schooling. Little Pop won a Ludlow bumper last December and is worth monitoring for market interest along with fellow hurdling debutants Apollo Eleven and Qasser.
Apollo Eleven (IRE) (9-2) 5th of 13, 3 1/2l behind Next One (8-10) at Le Lion D'angers(FR) 1m 2f 4yo stk sft in May (flat).
Little Pop 5-1 (11-10) Held up in rear, headway halfway, weakened over 4f out, tailed off, last of 9, well behind Deputy Dan (11-3) at Uttoxeter 2m NH flat (6) hvy in Mar.
Midnight Mustang 50-1 (10-8) Tracked leaders until ridden and outpaced approaching 3 out, 4th of 5, 29l behind Hopstrings (10-8) at Bangor 2m 4f mdn hdl (5) gd in Aug.
Our Crusade 11-4 (10-12) Tracked leaders, ridden before 2f out, kept on same pace, 4th of 7, 11l behind Mutanawwer (11-0) at Sedgefield 2m 1f NH flat (6) gf in Aug.
Qasser (IRE) 8-1 (9-10) Led, ridden and headed 2f out, under pressure in 3rd entering straight, 4th 1f out, no extra, 4th of 6, 17l behind Show Court (9-5) at Sligo 1m 2f stks sft in Jun (flat).
Saint Thomas (IRE) 15-2 (10-12) Led 2nd, headed 2 out, chance when not fluent last, kept on, 2nd of 3, 4l behind Franciscan (10-12) at Bangor 2m 1f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Aug.
Laurens Ruby (IRE) 7-2 (10-7) Led, headed over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, kept on, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Dardanella (10-9) at Newton Abbot 2m 1f mdn NH flat (5) gf in Jul.
Miss Beattie 100-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders early, mid-division after 2nd, well beaten before 3 out, tailed off, last of 14, well behind Mickie (11-5) at Ludlow 2m 5f mrs nov hdl (4) gd in Apr.
Queen Spud 16-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, ridden after 4th, no extra 2 out, 6th of 11, 25l behind Fairyinthewind (10-9) at Worcester 2m mdn hdl (5) gd in Apr.
Edmaaj (IRE) 11-1 (10-7) Mid-division, headway before 3f out, one pace and no impression, 4th of 17, 24l behind Pine Creek (11-5) at Doncaster 2m nov hdl (4) sft in Feb.
Kadalkin (FR) 9-1 (10-9) Mid-division, headway and in touch 5th, ridden before 2 out, soon weakened, fell last, in a race won by Wake Your Dreams (11-5) at Market Rasen 2m 5f nh nov hdl (4) gd in Aug, 8 ran.
Watchmetail (IRE) 66-1 (10-13) Always towards rear, pulled up before 2 out, in a race won by Un De Sceaux (11-11) at Punchestown 2m mdn hdl hvy in Feb, 22 ran.
