close-up, under pressure over 2f out, soon beaten
held up in touch, ridden along over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
made all, clear 2f out, ran on strongly final furlong
tracked leader, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened final furlong
in rear, ridden over 3f out, never dangerous
close-up, ridden over 2f out, weakened quickly over 1f out
held up behind, ridden over 3f out, never troubled leaders
never better than mid-division
behind, ridden and kept on from over 1f out but not troubled leaders
held up, ridden along over 2f out, never dangerous
behind, headway final 2f, stayed on well final furlong
held up midfield, good headway over 1f out, ran no, no troubled winner
Street Life deserves to win a race of this nature after some fair efforts of late but would prefer a softer surface so Willie Musson's gelding is passed over in favour of Karaoke, who is preferred to Freeloader. The selection has, like a lot of Sylvester Kirk's horses, shown improved form of late and with the possibility of more to come from his last time out second at Bath he gets the vote. Freeloader also hails from an in-form yard and the John Hills-trained gelding should step up on his reappearance effort at Newbury. Top weight Windy Brittain was a progressive performer last term but may have to much to do first time up under 9st 12lb. Polar Jem has more to do than when winning a classified stakes race at Ripon last time and a bigger threat may come from the Peter Harris-trained Northside Lodge, who showed signs of a return to form at Leicester last time. The hat trick seeking Summer Bounty now seems to be in the grip of the handicapper and of more interest may be the consistent Todlea but the vote goes to Karaoke.
