chased winner throughout, every chance 2f out until over 1f out, held when not much room on rail and switched left well inside final furlong
made all, joined 2f out, ridden over 1f out, ridden and stayed on to assert when hung right well inside final furlong
chased leaders on inside, pushed along 4f out, soon ridden and weakened
chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, lost 3rd 2f out, weakened soon after
chased leaders, weakened over 2f out
held up in rear, good headway on inside over 3f out, went 3rd 2f out, kept on same pace inside final furlong
chased leaders, weakened 5f out, tailed off
held up and always towards rear, tailed off
raced keenly, held up and behind, good headway out wide chasing leaders after 3f, ridden and weakened 5f out, tailed off
held up in last pair, plugged on final 2f, never on terms
Sam Thomas trained the winner when Warwick scorer Conceroe finished fifth in a Listed race at Cheltenham in November and the Welsh handler runs Skytastic, successful on debut at Newbury in this. He should make a bold bid to defy his penalty but LE GRAND LION was a real eye-catcher at Huntingdon just before Christmas and is also open to plenty of improvement. Quiet Flow’s fifth at Ascot last season could not have worked out any better and he is one to note, whatever happens today, while Phil De Pail finished ahead of Jerejak at Newcastle but will need a lot more here.
Conceroe (IRE) 11-1 (11-0) Led, headed over 2f out, outpaced and no impression from over 1f out, 5th of 7, 5 1/4l behind Good Risk At All (11-0) at Cheltenham 2m lst (1) sft in Nov.
Skytastic (FR) 6-1 (11-0) Raced keenly, pressed leader, challenged 4f out, led 3f out, ridden and strongly pressed inside final furlong, found extra final 110 yards, won at Newbury 2m (5) gd in Nov beating Orbys Legend (11-0) by 1 1/4l, 12 ran.
Le Grand Lion (FR) 9-2 (11-0) In rear, headway on outside over 4f out, outpaced 3f out, stayed on inside final furlong, 4th of 8, 1 1/2l behind Silent Revolution (11-0) at Huntingdon 2m (5) sft in Dec.
Quiet Flow 28-1 (11-0) Held up towards rear, driven and headway 3f out, weakened well over 1f out, 5th of 13, 20l behind Soaring Glory (11-4) at Ascot 2m (4) sft in Nov.
Saint Patric 25-1 (11-4) Held up in touch, relegated to midfield end of back straight, well behind when ridden over 2f out, kept on final furlong, 6th of 13, 5 1/2l behind Argonauta (11-4) at Newcastle 2m (5) pol in Jan.
Stratton Oakmont (IRE) 22-1 (11-3) Mid-division, headway over 3f out, unable to quicken over 1f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong, 4th of 12, 5 3/4l behind Finest View (10-0) at Lingfield 2m mdn (5) pol in Feb.
Sulbrick (IRE) Scorpion gelding out of In Fact.
Chosen Shant (IRE) Shantou M out of Ratheniska.
Hors Guard (FR) Kitkou gelding out of Soulte.
Phil De Pail (FR) 18-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, ridden and outpaced over 3f out, stayed on strongly over 1f out, went third close home, 3rd of 9, 5l behind Andante (10-12) at Newcastle 1m 6f (5) sft in Dec.
Jerejak 18-1 (10-12) Chased leader, ridden over 3f out, kept on one pace, 5th of 9, 7l behind Andante (10-12) at Newcastle 1m 6f (5) sft in Dec.
