held up mid-division, headway over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, one paced
towards rear, headway over 2f out, kept on one pace
chased leaders, no extra inside final furlong
tracked leader, ridden over 1f out, kept on
prominent, ridden over 1f out, kept on
held up towards rear, effort over 2f out, no impression
held up mid-division, ridden and headway to lead over 1f out, kept on
led, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
held up, weakened over 2f out
slowly away, in rear, headway over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
tracked leader, weakened over 1f out
held up and keen, weakened over 2f out
held up towards rear, headway over 2f out, kept on well inside final furlong
held up towards rear, weakened well over 2f out
PUZZLEMASTER is taken to see off recent winner Splinter Cell and the hat-trick seekers Tanfidh and Luc Jordan. Jane Chapple-Hyam's son of Lomitas comes here on the back of a fair effort in defeat at York behind Trip The Light. Earlier in the season he had been a ready winner of a Nottingham handicap in desperate ground and he should appreciate the rain that has fallen in South Yorkshire over the past 72 hours. Top-weight Splinter Cell seemed to appreciate the step back up to ten furlongs when winning at Windsor last time; on that run he holds History Lesson, Call It On and Norwegian Dancer, but is not well-treated at the weights with the first two. Luc Jordan has a 4lb rise in the weights for his latest all-weather success, but given his progression now that may not be enough to stop him, whilst Tanfidh is unexposed, in good form, and looks a live player if handling the softest ground he has encountered. Whooshka missed an engagement the other day but she is highly-rated and is worth keeping an eye on, whilst Bruton Street and Embsay Crag bring a consistent level of form to proceedings. Puzzlemaster is chosen to come out on top.
Splinter Cell (USA) 5-1 (9-3) Held up towards rear, steady headway over 3f out, hung persistently left but stayed on to challenge over 1f out, stayed on to lead post, won at Windsor 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-85 (4) gs beating History Lesson (9-3) by ns, 11 ran.
Puzzlemaster 16-1 (9-2) Slowly into stride, in rear, headway on inside over 4f out, switched right over 2f out, every chance and with winner over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 5th of 18, 3 1/2l behind Trip The Light (9-5) at York 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) gd.
Call It On (IRE) 9-2 (9-4) Chased leaders, progress on far rail to lead 2f out, hard ridden final furlong, headed near finish, soon lost 2nd, 3rd of 11, 3/4l behind Splinter Cell (9-3) at Windsor 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-85 (4) gs.
History Lesson 16-1 (9-3) Led after 1f, narrowly headed 2f out, driven and rallied gamely to lead again near finish, caught post, 2nd of 11, ns behind Splinter Cell (9-3) at Windsor 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-85 (4) gs.
Norwegian Dancer (UAE) 12-1 (9-3) Took keen hold, never far away, ridden 2f out, weakened quickly over 1f out, 8th of 11, 7l behind Splinter Cell (9-3) at Windsor 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-85 (4) gs.
Sequillo 13-2 (8-8) Held up in touch, not clear run and switched right well over 1f out, went modest 3rd final furlong, 3rd of 6, 6l behind Alcalde (8-9) at Warwick 1m 3f hcp 0-95 (3) gf.
Hollow Green (IRE) 16-1 (8-11) Slowly into stride, held up in rear, some headway under pressure inside final 3f, ridden and beaten over 2f out, 12th of 14, 6l behind Natural Flair (8-12) at Newbury 1m 2f flls hcp 0-85 (4) gd.
Luc Jordan 5-1 (8-13) Held up in last trio, steady headway on outside over 2f out, sustained run to lead inside final furlong, ridden and held on well, won at Kempton 1m 2f hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Sep beating Veroon (8-12) by nk, 11 ran.
Tanfidh 9-4 (9-4) Tracked leader, challenged 2f out, led well over 1f out, ridden clear final furlong, stayed on strongly, won at Leicester 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) gd beating Gross Prophet (9-6) by 6l, 12 ran.
Capeability (IRE) 6-1 (9-3) Held up in rear and keen, weakened over 1f out, 7th of 8, 25l behind Ithinkbest (9-3) at Pontefract 1m 3yo mdn (5) gf.
Embsay Crag 14-1 (9-1) Reared start and slowly away, towards rear, ridden 3f out, headway over 1f out, switched right inside final furlong, ran on close home, 3rd of 19, 3 1/2l behind Starla Dancer (8-11) at York 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-80 (4) gd.
Mishrif (USA) 25-1 (8-12) Chased leaders, came towards stands side rail in straight and struggling over 2f out, 11th of 14, 17l behind Cape Hawk (9-0) at Goodwood 1m hcp 0-85 (4) gs.
Whooshka (USA) 10-1 (9-6) Soon chasing leader, weakened over 2f out, last of 9, 13l behind Excelsior Academy (8-10) at Haydock 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-80 (4) gf in Aug.
Bruton Street (USA) 8-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, ridden to lead narrowly over 1f out, driven and joined inside final furlong, headed post, 3rd of 10, hd behind Gunslinger (9-5) at Nottingham 1m 2f mdn stks 0-80 (5) gs.
Wee Giant (USA) 66-1 (9-4) Behind, never nearer, 10th of 19, 21l behind Starla Dancer (8-11) at York 1m 2f 3yo hcp 0-80 (4) gd.
