pushed along to lead briefly after 1f, tracked leader, pushed along over 3f out, ridden 2f out, kept on same pace
in rear, ridden and headway inside final furlong, stayed on, nearest finish
led 1f, tracked leaders, ridden to lead again entering final furlong, headed towards finish
in touch, ridden and wide into straight 2f out, soon weakened
taken to post early, dwelt in rear, headway when switched right approaching final furlong, stayed on to lead towards finish
headway to lead over 5f out, ridden and headed entering final furlong, faded towards finish
in touch, ridden and weakened over 1f out
raced wide close up, ridden 2f out, faded inside final furlong
Right Action and Toriano are upped in class of higher marks having won at Wolverhampton and this venue respectively. Both Van Gerwen and Sword Exceed won their penultimate starts but the latter finished behind third-placed Exchequer at Chelmsford more recently. Rely On Me wasn’t beaten far over 6f at Kempton and Mr Bossy Boots won this back in 2015 but PEARL SPECTRE is taken to bounce back now back on a winning mark and dropping down a grade.
Pearl Spectre (USA) 4-1cfav (9-2) Led until over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 5th of 9, 5 1/2l behind Custard The Dragon (8-10) at Southwell 7f hcp (3) pol in Jan.
Mr Bossy Boots (IRE) 20-1 (9-4) Dwelt held up, pushed along 2f out, never a factor, 9th of 13, 3 1/2l behind Shyron (8-10) at Lingfield 7f hcp (3) pol in Dec.
Exchequer (IRE) 7-4fav (9-7) Tracked leaders, switched right 2f out, driven over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong, 3rd of 8, 3 1/4l behind Lucymai (9-3) at Chelmsford City 7f hcp (4) pol in Jan.
Rely On Me (IRE) 14-1 (9-6) Prominent, went 2nd over 4f out until inside final 2f, chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, 4th and one pace inside final furlong,, 4th of 11, 1 3/4l behind Shamsaya (9-4) at Kempton 6f hcp (4) pol in Jan.
Sword Exceed (GER) 5-1 (9-5) Slowly into stride, behind, driven over 1f out, ridden inside final furlong, never able to challenge, 11th of 12, 3 3/4l behind Twin Appeal (9-5) at Wolverhampton 7f hcp (4) pol in Dec.
Sir Ottoman (FR) 16-1 (9-6) Went right start, prominent, driven and one pace over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 9th of 10, 9l behind Human Nature (9-7) at Chelmsford City 6f hcp (4) pol in Dec.
Van Gerwen 12-1 (9-2) In touch towards rear, pushed along and weakened over 1f out, last of 10, 13 3/4l behind Quick Look (9-3) at Nottingham 5f hcp (4) sft in Nov.
Toriano 7-2 (9-4) Tracked leader, ridden to press leader inside final furlong, led final strides, won at Lingfield 7f hcp (5) pol in Jan beating Varsovian (9-6) by hd, 9 ran.
Right Action 9-2 (9-7) Always prominent, led over 1f out, edged slightly right inside final furlong, held on, won at Wolverhampton 7f hcp (5) pol in Dec beating Steal The Scene (8-13) by hd, 10 ran.