held up, headway 2f out, stayed on same pace
slowly into stride, led 7f out, headed over 2f out, soon weakened
tracked leader over 6f out, ridden and led well over 2f out, headed approaching final furlong, one pace
held up mid-division, headway and edged right 2f out, led approaching final furlong, headed near finish
held up towards rear, headway over 1f out, hung right final furlong, led close home
held up towards rear, never troubled leaders
held up towards rear, ridden and headway over 1f out, never nearer
in touch, ridden and weakening when short of room 2f out
led, headed 7f out, remained close up, ridden over 2f out, one pace
raced in rear, never dangerous
chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, soon no impression
In this fairly tricky handicap, we like the look of Portmanteau over James Caird, Spanish Don and Best Be Going. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained selection cost 590,000 guineas and started repaying some of that when running away with a Beverley maiden last time. Much as it is hard to fully evaluate that effort, her handicap debut mark does not seem unreasonable and she can go well. The handicapper seems reluctant to drop course and distance winner Chinkara in the weights following a very good juvenile and early three-year-old career, despite three indifferent runs, admittedly mainly in competitive handicaps on his last three starts. Guilded Flyer remains seven-pounds higher than for his best-yet win, but James Caird remains competitive from his current mark, the same as when second in a valuable York handicap last time and just two pounds higher than when narrowly beaten in the Zetland Gold Cup. Spanish Don is now rated just one-pound higher than when scoring over tonight's trip at Newbury last autumn and looked to be coming to hand last time. Voice Mail showed that he can be competitive from his current mark when just denied by the well-backed St Pancras at Bath last time, but the jury is out on Penrith for now following his disappointing Sandown run last time. The lightly-raced Best Be Going cannot be ruled out from his current mark, a similar comment applying to Tannoor, who raced far too keenly on his handicap debut at Pontefract last time, but Desert Island, a course winner, is still five pounds above a winning mark, although his rider takes that exact amount off his back. On this occasion, we will side with promise over proven form and give the selection status to Portmanteau.
