keen hold, held up behind, in touch, closed on leaders 2f out, ridden to lead just over 1f out, asserted inside final furlong, ridden out
led, ridden and headed 2f out, kept on to weaken quickly final furlong
tracked leader on outside, ridden to lead 2f out, no extra when headed just over 1f out, kept on well for 2nd
started very slowly, detached in rear, headway and in touch halfway, soon ridden and outpaced over 2f out
held up in touched, ridden along over 4f out, soon in rear, well behind 3f out, tailed off
Another seller and preference is for NORTHERN DESERT in a race where only Elevate Bambina can effectively be ruled out. Sean Curran's gelding is now ten years of age and admittedly he is not the best-treated at today's weights despite being the top-rated in the line-up. However he is a course and distance winner, comes here in good form, and is expected to put up a bold show. Geoffdaw is a danger but he is yet to win over further than six furlongs, so a bigger threat may be It's A Mans World who drops back down in class today. Hawkspring is perhaps not the most resolute in a battle, whilst Sunny Sprite has been busy jumping but must be of interest pitched in at this level back on the flat. Blinkers will need to have a very profound effect on Lucky Character, and so it is Northern Desert who is nominated.
Northern Desert (IRE) 4-1 (9-7) Took keen hold, disputing 3rd place, ridden 2f out, outpaced final furlong, 4th of 5, 3 1/2l behind Jake The Snake (9-7) at Kempton 7f clm (6) std.
Geoffdaw 33-1 (8-13) Took keen hold, held up behind leaders, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened, 8th of 10, 7l behind Last Sovereign (9-4) at Kempton 7f hcp 0-75 (5) pol.
Lucky Character 14-1 (8-5) Mid-division, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, last of 13, 28l behind Alf Tupper (8-6) at W'hampton 1m 1f hcp 0-60 (6) pol in Dec.
Hawkspring (IRE) 5-4fav (9-3) Prominent, ridden to lead over 2f out, soon driven and headed, no extra final furlong, 2nd of 7, 2l behind Kheskianto (8-6) at Southwell 7f 3yo sll (6) fbs.
It's A Mans World 11-2 (8-9) Keen, mid-division, ridden 2f out, never troubled leaders, 6th of 11, 5l behind Emirates World (8-9) at Lingfield 7f mdn stk (5) pol in Jan.
Elevate Bambina 50-1 (8-9) Towards rear, never a factor, 8th of 12, 27l behind Aboukir (9-3) at Southwell 1m 2yo mdn auc (5) fbs in Nov.
Sunny Sprite 25-1 (9-6) Disputed 3rd place, ridden over 2f out, weakened quickly, last of 5, 26l behind Jake The Snake (9-7) at Kempton 7f clm (6) std.