in touch, ridden over 3f out, weakened final 2f
held up, headway over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, hard ridden inside final furlong, led towards finish
led, ridden over 2f out, hard ridden inside final furlong, headed towards finish
prominent, ridden to challenge 3f out, one pace final furlong
held up in rear, ridden and headway over 2f out, stayed on same pace
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened
Sualda holds very solid claims here and gets the vote ahead of San Deng and Easibet Dot Net. Trainer Richard Fahey saddles the thoroughly genuine Sualda for the 51st time in the seven-year-old's career and the gelding runs over his optimum trip. He has not won since August 2004 at York, but has a strike rate of one in seven and has run twice as many times as that since that latest success, so a win would not be out of turn. His fast ground effort behind Nordwind at Thirsk last time gives him every chance and off this mark he can score. San Deng receives 11lb from the selection but is 3lb higher than when runner up at Catterick last time and will find this a little tougher, while Easibet Dot Net is a c&d winner who has won off 1lb higher than today's mark and is not in bad form at present, so is not overlooked lightly. But we have to narrow things down to one choice and that is Sualda.
Magnum Opus (IRE) 11-4jt-fav (9-12) In touch, pushed along 6f out, ridden when not clear run over 3f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 9, 11l behind Souffleur (8-6) at Nottingham 1m 6f mdn stk (5) sft in May.
Sualda (IRE) 11-4fav (9-0) Mid-division, switched right and headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, soon ridden, kept on, headed post, 2nd of 8, hd behind Nordwind (9-6) at Thirsk 1m 4f hcp 0-90 (3) gf.
Khanjar (USA) 14-1 (9-4) Led 9f, weakened quickly once headed, tailed off, last of 10, 44l behind Eloquent Knight (8-11) at Southwell 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) fbs in Mar.
Easibet Dot Net 8-1 (9-2) Held up in touch, effort on outside 3f out, soon beaten, 4th of 8, 8l behind Crathorne (8-7) at Musselburgh 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) gd in May.
San Deng 11-2 (8-12) Towards rear, headway over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, stayed on final furlong, 2nd of 11, 2l behind McEldowney (9-8) at Catterick 1m 4f hcp 0-70 (5) gf.
Andre Chenier (IRE) 33-1 (8-9) Towards rear, never dangerous, 8th of 15, 9l behind Polish Power (9-4) at Newcastle 1m 4f hcp 0-75 (5) gs in May.