tracked leader, led 3f out, was ridden and kept on final furlong
held up, headway over 3f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on same pace
mid division, headway over 2f out, ridden and one pace final furlong
dwelt, towards rear, hampered over 4f out, not recover
never better than mid division
held up, headway over 2f, ridden and stayed on final furlong
soon led, headed 3f out, weakened final 2f
prominent, pushed along over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, weakened final furlong
prominent, effort over 2f out, ridden and stayed on same pace final furlong
towards rear and never dangerous
Beluga Bay is bound to be popular with backers and has obvious claims but, at the forecast odds, we just prefer to side with Paul Cole's Yakimov with Torrid Kentavr rated a live danger. The last mentioned would arguably prefer a faster surface but did win over fences on soft ground and did not have the clearest of runs in the Carlisle Bell, a race that is working out well, last time. James Fanshawe's Beluga Bay is only 1lb higher than when second to Hilltop Warning at Newmarket last month and has to be respected on ground that should pose no problems. Creskeld and First Maite have claims if able to reproduce their all-weather form but Yakimov is expected to be too strong for them all. The more juice in the ground, the better for Paul Cole's gelding as he showed when second in a heavy-ground handicap at Haydock in May. A subsequent third on a faster surface at Windsor showed that he remains in fine form and, with conditions more suitable today, he is taken to return to winning ways.