started slowly, helpd up last in touch, ridden 4f out, no chance over 2f out, tailed off
held up 4th, came stands' side straight, stayed on same pace final 2f
slowly into stride, tracked leaders, led 2f out, ridden clear final furlong
led until headed 2f out, stayed on same pace
tracked leader, came stands' side and led that duo, stayed on for 2nd, no chance with winner
Comic Strip looks a smart two-year-old and is impossible to oppose in this opening contest, while Fiefdom and Atlantic Story should scrap it out for the forecast. Sir Mark Prescott¿s gelding has won three of his four starts so far, already proving that he can handle any ground. He put up his best performance to date when stepped up to a mile for the first time in a valuable nursery at Ayr last time, defying 9-8 to beat favourite Hallhoo by a lengthy, with the rest well behind. That form equates to Listed class, and he should land the hat trick here. Fiefdom ran well when going down narrowly in a nursery at Ascot in July, but was a huge disappointment when odds-on at Thirsk on his next start and has been off the course since then. Emile Zola flew home to win in a tight finish on his debut at Goodwood and significant improvement can be expected, but although the second that day has won since, he still faces a much stiffer task here. Rocamadour, a winner of his maiden at Beverley, shaped well enough when second at Ayr last time, but a bigger danger could be Godolphin¿s Atlantic Story. He put a disappointing debut at Newmarket behind him by making all here last time, and his course experience should help him here. However, Comic Strip looks a class above his rivals and will take a lot of beating here.
