very slowly away, always behind, tailed off final 2f
tracked leaders, ridden over 3f out, switched left well over 2f out, soon weakened
led, ridden over 2f out, headed briefly over 1f out, all out
tracked winner, ridden over 3f out, led briefly over 1f out, hard ridden and every chance inside, no extra close home
There is a small but select field for this one mile conditions race, in which only the complete outsider Harlequin Dancer looks to have no chance. Vicious Knight, who has the fast ground he craves, showed little sign of encouragement in the Queen Anne Stakes last month and, considering the form of the stable is probably best watched for the time being. Sir Michael Stoute's L'Oiseau d'Argent failed to last the extended 1m2f of the Glasgow Stakes at York's Dante meeting on his most recent start and should be better suited by this trip. Perhaps the most interesting of the quartet is Mark Johnston's Love Regardless. Quietly fancied by some for the 2,000 Guineas, having impressed on his only start as a juvenile when scoring impressively at Newcastle, the son of Storm Bird ran no sort of race at Newmarket. It is interesting that he has been absent since and his trainer's patience may well be rewarded.
