tracked leaders, every chance 2 out, ridden and not quicken approaching last
held up, steady headway from 3 out, led approaching last, driven out run in
prominent, ridden approaching 3 out, soon weakened and lost place
keen hold in touch, mistake and led 3 out, ridden and one-paced when headed approaching last, no extra run in
behind, lost place and tailed off from 4th
not fluent 1st, with clear leader, led 3rd to 4 out, soon weakened
held up, steady headway from 4th, every chance and hit 3 out, beaten approaching next
behind, well in rear when hit 4 out
held up in touch, weakened 2 out, no chance when mistake 2 out
behind, lost touch and tailed off from 4th, mistake 4 out, pulled up before next
led and clear 2nd, led again 4 out to next, weakened quickly
Jaboune looks a very nice novice judged on his Wetherby win the other week, though there are those who will pick holes in that form, with a moderate pace and the fact that runner up Multeen River was cruising before finding little after a mistake at the last. However, Alan King's gelding is in great heart, with four wins from his last five starts and it will be a surprise if he is not involved in the finish. However, with a 3lb pull here, preference is for Paul Nicholls-trained Sud Bleu. The four-year-old was highly tried last season, when he never quite reached the heights after a promising second to Giocomo at Kempton. There no getting away from the fact that this is a tough assignment, but a very easy win from Cho Polu at Exeter recently will have done no harm to his confidence and with the stable in great form he gets the vote. Dermot Weld sends Mutakarrim across the water and he must be respected. After winning a maiden hurdle at Galway in July comfortably, he was just touched off in a handicap two days later. Since then he's been performing well once again on the level, including a second to Storming Home in the Godolphin Stakes at Newmarket. He looks sure to run a big race. Others to note in the field are Thepointaboutitis, who merits respect on his recent soft ground win at Gowran Park, Robber Baron, about whom trainer Henrietta Knight says is the best horse she has trained since Best Mate and could be just that judging by his easy Exeter win the other day. He should be on the premises, while Lady Laureate who put up a decent showing behind Quazar at Aintree on her last start over hurdles in April, and Detonateur, who is on a recovery mission after running a little flat at Wetherby in the race won by Jaboune.
