keen hold, in touch, ridden over 2f out, outpaced after
made all, ridden 2f out, kept on and edged left inside last
tracked leaders and keen, lost pace over 2f out
slowly away, hampered and unseated rider start
tracked leader, ridden over 2f out, chased winner over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong
slowly away, hampered and unseated rider start
chased leaders, ridden to chase winner over 2f out, weakened final furlong
swerved left start, always behind, tailed off final 3f
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, kept on final furlong, no impression
This is not the strongest of contests and it will be a surprise if anything other than the duo of Straw Bear and Always Flying proves the answer, with the latter getting a narrow vote over his Newmarket rival. Always Flying caught a tartar in Mick Channon's Fun And Games on his Carlisle debut but in any case was raced too freely into the prevailing wind and was a spent force a furlong out. His second visit to the racecourse proved to be a disaster as he unshipped his pilot leaving the stalls at Wolverhampton. Things got worse on a return to Carlisle recently as he only managed to beat one home, but the step up to seven furlongs is expected to bring about a big improvement, and in receipt of five pounds from Straw Bear, the colt can add to the stable's useful record of late. Straw Bear has had two outings already this month, both over six furlongs, but is bred to want further, so the step up here should suit. The feeling is though that he will come into his own over a mile plus, so he cannot be fancied as much as Mark Johnston's charge. The rest make no appeal, although Tim Easterby's newcomer Our Kid should be note for the future. On this occasion, Always Flying should be hard to beat.
