bumped start, towards rear, headway halfway, soon ridden, weakened final furlong
led, ridden when hung left and headed over 1f out, ran on
in touch, ridden over 1f out, edged right inside final furlong, stayed on
chased leaders to halfway
prominent, ridden to lead over 1f out, ran on
with leaders, ridden halfway, weakened over 1f out
in touch, lost place halfway, stayed on inside final furlong
in touch, lost place halfway, ridden and edged left over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong
mid-division, ridden halfway, soon weakened
mid-division, ridden halfway, no impression
slowly into stride, outpaced, headway over 1f out, ran on, nearest at finish
held up, headway halfway, ridden over 1f out, one pace final furlong
outpaced
with leaders, ridden and edged left over 1f out, one pace inside final furlong
slowly into stride, towards rear, headway halfway, ridden over 1f out, weakened final furlong
prominent, ridden 2f out, no extra final furlong
Another tough sprint handicap, but Cape Royal has been in fine form of late, and with ground conditions to suit he is fancied to land the spoils ahead of Green Manalishi, Pivotal's Princess and Wanchai Lad. Milton Bradley's five-year-old has been in excellent form for most of the year, beating Out After Dark at Sandown last month and running some fine races in defeat since then, including when second to Treasure Cay at Leicester last time. That was a decent effort, as the winner raced virtually alone on the stands rail, and off the same mark here Cape Royal is fancied to go one better. Pivotal's Princess has been a most progressive three-year-old filly this season, winning at Doncaster twice, Hamilton and Chester. She wasn't disgraced behind Indian Maiden over six furlongs there last time and seems better suited by this minimum trip. Green Manalishi has been running well in some competitive races lately and is closely matched with Cape Royal on his last three runs so he has to come into the reckoning here. Tony The Tap is a frustrating character who should have won more races than he has, but is likely once again to be in the shape up, while Trinculo has been in decent form lately but should find today's company a little tougher than he has been up against lately. A bigger chance can be given to his stablemate, Wanchai Lad, who hasn't been seen since going down by a short head to Matty Tun at Newmarket in July, and reopposes that rival on the same terms here. Both are entitled to be in the shake-up here, but Cape Royal deserves to win another race and is selected to do so
Castelletto (8-8) 9th of 11, 8l behind Nipping (8-8) at Longchamp 5f Grp 3 gd.
Cape Royal 9-2fav (9-2) Led centre group, ridden and edged right from over 1f out, headed and not quicken inside final furlong, 2nd of 15, 2 1/2l behind Treasure Cay (8-11) at Leicester 5f hcp (3) gf.
Pivotal's Princess (IRE) 7-1 (8-11) Mid-division, ridden and headway over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, 3rd of 8, 3l behind Indian Maiden (9-2) at Chester 6f lst fll stk (1) sft.
Night Prospector 20-1 (8-11) Outpaced in rear, never dangerous, 9th of 13, 3l behind Texas Gold (9-4) at Epsom 5f hcp (2) gd in Aug.
Green Manalishi 9-1 (8-8) Chased leaders stand's side group, ridden over 1f out, one pace inside final furlong, 8th of 21, 1 1/2l behind Out After Dark (8-12) at Doncaster 6f hcp 0-110 (2) gf.
Trinculo (IRE) 17-2 (9-4) With leader, ridden to lead 1f out, ran on, won at Chester 5f hcp (4) sft beating Kings College Boy (8-4) by a nk, 9 ran.
Desert Lord 50-1 (9-9) Led stand side group, ridden and headed over 1f out, soon weakened, 25th of 28, 13l behind Machinist (9-0) at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd.
Tony The Tap 5-1fav (8-13) Chased leaders, ridden and every chance 1f out, unable to quicken near finish, 3rd of 12, nk behind Fictional (9-2) at Newmarket 5f hcp (3) gf in Jul.
Rainbow Rising (IRE) 33-1 (8-7) Ridden and headed over 2f out, one pace final furlong, 6th of 20, 6l behind Tax Free (8-9) at York 6f 3yo hcp 0-105 (2) gd in Aug.
Bond Boy 12-1 (8-4) Led, headed well over 1f out, one pace until weakened inside final furlong, 6th of 13, 4l behind Intoxicating (8-12) at York 6f hcp (2) gf.
King's Gait 25-1 (9-5) Chased leaders stand side group, ridden over 2f out, led briefly over 1f out, weakened final furlong, 17th of 28, 8l behind Machinist (9-0) at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd.
Wanchai Lad 4-1 (9-4) Chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, hung right and led well inside final furlong, caught post, 2nd of 9, shd behind Matty Tun (9-1) at Newmarket 5f hcp (4) gs in Aug.
Countdown 11-4 (9-10) Slowly into stride, towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on, never troubled leaders, 5th of 12, 8l behind Bond City (9-2) at W'hampton 5f nov stk (D3) pol in Oct.
Playful Dane (IRE) 16-1 (9-1) Chased leaders far side, led far side group over 2f out, weakened inside final furlong, 3rd of 18, 2l behind Reverence (8-6) at Doncaster 5f hcp (4) gs.
Whistler 20-1 (8-6) Behind, effort halfway, kept on final 2f, 7th of 15, 3 1/2l behind Sierra Vista (8-9) at Haydock 5f hcp (2) gd.
Matty Tun 13-2 (9-3) Towards rear far side group, ridden over 2f out, stayed on final furlong, never on terms, 11th of 18, 9l behind Reverence (8-6) at Doncaster 5f hcp (4) gs.
Melalchrist 12-1 (8-0) In touch, ridden over 1f out, soon behind, 12th of 13, 9l behind Intoxicating (8-12) at York 6f hcp (2) gf.
