soon led, pushed along over 3f out, headed entering final furlong, no impression on winner
slowly into stride, in rear, ridden over 2f out, no impression
chased leaders, steadied 9f out, ridden over 2f out, soon beaten
mid-division, headway 2f out, went 3rd inside final furlong, kept on, no impression on winner
steadied start, held up in rear, effort over 1f out, no impression
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, hanging right and switched left over 1f out, one pace
led early, tracked leaders, ridden 2f out, kept on, lost 3rd inside final furlong
took keen hold, soon 2nd, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
held up in mid-division, headway going well from over 2f out, challenged over 1f out, led entering final furlong, soon clear, easily
This is tougher than the race Exceeding Power won over 1m4f here last time but Caspar The Cub landed a hat-trick of course victories when beating Grand Inquisitor in this grade last month. PIPES OF PEACE (NAP) ran well for fourth behind Spark Plug here last week up when facing much tougher opposition in Listed company. He'd won a handicap over track and trip in good style before that and Seamus Durack's charge is taken to reverse earlier running with Caspar The Cub and return to winning ways. Dancer Cross has a shout on a recent placed effort here and is preferred to C Note but Desert Wind and Count Calabash look high enough in the weights at present.
Count Calabash (IRE) 10-1 (9-1) Prominent, led over 8f out, headed over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, last of 17, 25 1/4l behind Dash Of Spice (9-3) at Ascot 1m 4f hcp stks (2) gf in Jun.
Winterlude (IRE) 33-1 (9-7) Mid-division, ridden to chase leaders over 1f out, never on terms, weakened inside final furlong, 6th of 9, 5 1/4l behind Primero (9-6) at Chelmsford City 1m 2f hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Dancer Cross 8-1 (9-6) Prominent, pushed along over 2f out, stayed on same pace from over 1f out, 3rd of 5, 3 1/2l behind Dramatic Queen (9-7) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (2) pol in Oct.
Pipes Of Peace (IRE) 7-1 (9-6) Towards rear, wide into straight 3f out, ridden and headway over 1f out, ran on towards finish, 4th of 10, 1 3/4l behind Spark Plug (9-6) at Kempton 1m 4f lst stks (1) pol in Dec.
West Coast Flyer 11-4 (9-13) Raced keenly in rear, headway on outside over 2f out, came wide straight, ridden and edged left entering final furlong, one pace, 6th of 9, 6 1/4l behind Kasperenko (10-2) at Chelmsford City 1m 5f hcp (3) pol in Aug.
C Note (IRE) 12-1 (8-11) Prominent, every chance 2f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong, 4th of 10, 5 3/4l behind Grey Britain (9-9) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (2) pol in Dec.
Exceeding Power 16-1 (9-9) Led early, chased leaders, ridden to lead over 1f out, soon hard pressed, just held on, very game, won at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (4) pol in Nov beating Landue (9-5) by shd, 7 ran.
Grand Inquisitor 4-1 (8-7) Close up, headway approaching 2f out, ridden and unable to quicken final furlong, 5th of 9, 2l behind Seafarer (8-11) at Newcastle 1m 4f hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Caspar The Cub (IRE) Evensfav (8-10) Held up, headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, hard driven, stayed on strongly, won at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (3) pol in Nov beating Grand Inquisitor (9-4) by 1/2l, 7 ran.
Desert Wind (IRE) 12-1 (8-10) Close up 2f, in touch, ridden 2f out, headway inside final furlong, ran on towards finish, 4th of 9, 3 1/4l behind Communique (8-9) at Newmarket 1m 2f hcp (2) gf in Jul.
