chased leaders, hard driven over 2f out, weakened over 1f out
slowly into stride, held up in touch, headway to chase leaders over 2f out, effort over 1f out, soon one pace
steadied start, held up in rear, headway well over 1f out, ran on strongly to lead well inside final furlong, ridden out
led, set strong pace, headed just inside final furlong, soon hung left and weakened
pulled hard and prominent, ridden to lead entering final furlong, soon headed, stayed on well
chased leaders, weakened 2f out, soon beaten
Conducting, Elshabakiya and Oceanway showed enough promise last year to be worth a crack at this level but it could pay to concentrate on the trio with the best form as two-year-olds. Vanguard Dream is unbeaten and ended last year with victory in a decent nursery at Newbury, but stablemate Dubawi Gold won at Ascot over today's trip before being well beaten in the Racing Post Trophy and makes more appeal on his first start for Richard Hannon. BATHWICK BEAR produced his best effort to win a Listed race at Ripon in August and showed he had retained his ability with a respectable third on the all-weather at Deauville on his recent reappearance. That run might just give him the edge here.
Bathwick Bear (IRE) (9-2) 3rd of 6, 3 1/2l behind Redemptor (9-2) at Deauville(FR) 6f 3yo Listed stks fbs.
Conducting 9-2 (9-5) Led early, chased leader, led again 4f out, ridden 2f out, headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, last of 5, 4 1/2l behind Dubarshi (9-2) at Lingfield 7f 2yo nov stks (4) pol in Nov.
Dubawi Gold 20-1 (9-0) Led, steady pace, hung right over 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 9th of 10, 15l behind Casamento (9-0) at Doncaster 1m 2yo Grp 1 (1) gd in Oct.
Vanguard Dream 4-1 (9-7) Raced keenly, made all, ridden and strongly pressed from over 1f out, stayed on gamely to assert towards finish, won at Newbury 7f 2yo hcp (2) sft in Oct beating Unex El Greco (8-13) by 1/2l, 11 ran.
Elshabakiya (IRE) 11-8fav (9-0) Keen held up intouch, led over 1f out, ridden and edged left inside final furlong, headed post, 2nd of 9, 1/2l behind Crying Lightening (9-0) at Leicester 5f 2yo stks (4) gd in Jun.
Oceanway (USA) 5-4fav (9-0) Tracked leaders in 3rd, led over 2f out, ridden clear over 1f out, eased heavily towards finish, won at Kempton 7f 2yo mdn fll (5) pol in Nov beating Alareen (9-0) by 8l, 9 ran.