Sugar Hiccup scored off a 6lb lower mark on a fast surface at Warwick last year and should go close on her return if coping with soft ground. THE CALLING CURLEW shouldn't have any problems with the going, however, as he just failed to catch the winner in similar conditions at Brighton in August and can race off the same mark on his seasonal debut. Henry Candy's charge gets the vote in this as the handicapper looks to have caught up with multiple all-weather winner Mediterranean Sea after she registered a hat-trick at Southwell over the winter. Persian Herald has a poor strike-rate but can make the frame if at his best.
Mediterranean Sea (IRE) 15-8fav (9-10) Tracked leaders, ridden and slightly outpaced over 4f out, rallied over 3f out, led over 2f out, headed towards finish, 3rd of 8, 1l behind Shifting Gold (8-10) at Southwell 1m 6f hcp 0-75 (5) fbs.
Chain Of Events 12-1 (9-2) Fly leapt and dived right leaving stalls, held up towards rear, headway on outside over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, weakened inside final furlong, 10th of 15, 13l behind Countess Comet (9-7) at Windsor 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) gf in Oct.
Sugar Hiccup (IRE) 9-1 (8-1) Mid-division, headway on outside 4f out, pressed leaders from 3f out, driven to challenge and hung left 2f out, stayed on to 2nd closing stages, never quite going pace of winner, 2nd of 11, 3/4l behind Albert Bridge (8-8) at Newbury 1m 4f hcp 0-85 (4) gs in Sep.
Persian Herald 16-1 (9-4) Led 1f, tracked leader, ridden 3f out, weakened 2f out, last of 9, 14l behind Tuxedo (8-9) at Kempton 1m 2f hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Mar.
The Calling Curlew 10-1 (9-2) In rear, ridden 3f out, kept on final furlong, 6th of 10, 6l behind Knightly Escapade (9-5) at Goodwood 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-75 (5) gd in Oct.
Wily Fox 7-2fav (9-1) Led 1f, settled 3rd, chased leader 8f out until ridden over 3f out, stayed chasing leaders until weakened over 1f out, 4th of 10, 13l behind Hawridge King (9-3) at Salisbury 1m 6f hcp 0-75 (5) sft in Sep.
