chased leaders, kept on under pressure from 3 out, stayed on to take 2nd flat
chased winner, mistake 12th, blundered 15th, driven and no impression before last, one pace and lost 2nd flat
behind, driven along and not run on from 13th, pulled up before next
made all, jumped right 9th, not fluent next, jumped right 13th and 15th, driven along from 3 out, in command when jumped right last, stayed on well
behind, ridden along and struggling from 13th, tailed off
Auburn Spirit is taken to defy topweight over Helvetius and Labula Bay in the most valuable race at the Sussex track today. Mark Usher's nine-year-old is already a course and distance winner, having landed a similar race to this in testing going off a mark of 90 in January, and was only just denied at Fakenham last time, showing that he handles faster conditions. The course knowledge will stand him in good stead, and he should be the one to beat. Andy Thornton is back in the saddle today, having made a remarkably quick recovery from a broken arm and he should get a good ride from Helvetius. The eight-year-old gained his first success since 2002 when scoring at Leicester six days ago under the other Thornton, Robert, who made the most of the gelding's stamina to prevail. Labula Bay gets a seven-pound pull for the five lengths that separated them on that occasion and so strictly has a first-rate chance of bettering his third placing. Colin Tizzard has had a fine season so far, so Just Reuben should not be ruled out, and Dirk Cove is a past course winner for local trainer Richard Rowe. It has the makings of a decent contest despite the small field and we shall nominate Auburn Spirit as the answer.
