reared leaving stalls, in rear, racing wide, never in contention
in touch until ridden and weakened over 1f out
tracked leader, with leader and every chance 2f out, not quicken inside final furlong
prominent, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened
soon led, ridden and headed entering final furlong weakened inside
held up rear, soon pushed along, headway 2f out, ridden to lead entering final furlong, pushed out
Devon Flame has what it takes to win this, from Tag Team and One Way Ticket. The Ron Hodges-trained selection looks capable of mastering a 3lb penalty for a recent five furlong Windsor handicap win. The gelding has clearly continued to go the right way after progressing last season and on ground that he relishes there is no reason why his good form cannot continue and he is taken to follow up. Tag Team has a clear chance at these weights and does go well here at Bath, winning as he did over course and distance on firm ground last month. He didn't have the best of the draw at Folkestone last time and that run can largely be dismissed, so with Andrew Balding going well we expect his charge to push the selection all the way. One Way Ticket may be the one to chase the pair home. Arguably in the grip of the handicapper, you have to dismiss his last run as too bad to be true and concentrate on the form of his fast ground placed efforts at Kempton and Leicester prior to that. On those runs he has a chance of making the frame despite a 5lb rise. For the winner though, we return to Devon Flame.
