tracked leader, ridden over 1f, ran on to lead inside final furlong,kept on
prominent, ridden over 1f, not much room approaching final furlong, stayed on inside final furlong
prominent, effort over 2f, ridden and no extra final furlong, weakened inside
held up towards rear, headway over 2f, not much room and switched over 1f, stayed on final furlong
never better than mid-division
tracked leaders, ridden over 1f, stayed on same paced
mid-division, effort 2f out, ridden and onepaced final furlong
mid-division, pushed along over 3f, was soon outpaced
towards rear, never dangerous
was towards rear, headway over 2f, not much room on inner over 1f, was onepaced final furlong
soon led steady pace, quickened over 3f, ridden and headed inside final furlong, no extra
Back in handicap-company for the first time in a year on turf, old Lakota Brave is taken to follow up his recent Leicester victory, with The Judge, Factor Fifteen and Invicta the main dangers. Nick Littmoden's nine-year-old has been mainly kept to claimers on turf, and scored in good fashion at Leicester last week. On that occasion, he gave four pounds and a length and a quarter beating to a horse rated 71, so a 3lb penalty which gives him a mark of 67 here may not be enough to stop him. The Judge finished well clear of the third horse when just touched off in a Classified Stakes at Nottingham last time, and Paul Cole's charge is another who appears well treated on his current rating so is an obvious danger. Factor Fifteen won arguably a better race at Sandown last time and with Kieren Fallon booked seems sure to go well again, while Invicta starts the turf season on a good mark, is suited by these conditions and hails from a stable in good form, so is likely to be fit after a four-month absence.
