held up in touch, ridden along over 3f out, weakened 2f out
prominent, progress to lead 3f out, stayed on strongly from 2f out, hard ridden final furlong, headed last stride
steadied start, took keen hold in rear, struggling and lost touch well over 3f out, soon tailed off
led after 1f to over 7f out, stayed prominent, ridden and outpaced 3f out, kept on final furlong to take 3rd, no chance with 1st two
led 1f, stayed prominent until weakened 3f out
held up rear, headway 3f out, ran green, chased leader over 1f out, still green inside final furlong, strong run to lead last stride
close up, led over 7f out to 3f out, weakened over 1f out, lost 3rd inside final furlong
Not the strongest of renewals for this classic trial and it can fall to Carini, with Madaeh and Al Siffaat put forward as the main dangers. Carini is not the best looking horse according to trainer Henry Candy but she has the heart of a lion as she proved when galloping her rivals into the ground at Nottingham last season. She will come into her own over a mile and half and possibly even further but could still put up a good performance here. The two John Dunlop entries, Spotlight and Madaeh met in the Oh So Sharp stakes at Newmarket last season, with the former doing best finishing second to Top Romance. Madaeh though could be more suited to middle distances and may come out on top today. The Godolphin challenger Al Sifaat followed up her promising Newbury debut with a gutsy victory in a Leicester maiden, she looks the type to make a decent three-year-old. It is hard to envisage the Oaks winner coming from this line-up, but Carini could be good enough to take this prize.
