took keen hold behind leaders, not much room on inside rail and switched out inside final 2f, stayed on under pressure to take 2nd final 50 yards, no impression winner
keen early, settled behind leaders, hard ridden 2f out, soon weakened
made virtually all, joined over 2f out, driven to assert and in command entering final furlong
slowly away, ran green in rear, switched to outer and effort 3f out, staying on one pace when eased inside final furlong
chased winner, disputed lead over 2f out to over 1f out, no impression final furlong, lost 2nd final 50 yards
Vienna's Boy has by far the best form on show and is hard to oppose here; the rest are fairly closely matched, and newcomer Spectested could be the biggest danger. The latter is one of two in the race trained by Brian Meehan, and the fact that Kieren Fallon has been booked suggests he may be better fancied than Kempton winner Sioux River, but the market may prove the best guide as to their chances. But Richard Hannon also saddles two, and Dane O'Neill's mount, Vienna's Boy looks the clear pick. A winner at Folkestone and Windsor already this year, he is likely to find this opposition a lot easier than his last race, when he finished down the field behind the smart Pastoral Pursuits in the Sirenia Stakes at Kempton. He had earlier finished runner-up in a Listed race at Deauville and anything like that form would virtually guarantee a win here.
