tracked leader, led 5th, headed and ridden soon after 6th, one pace
held up in touch, headway approaching 5th, led 3 out, kept on well
raced keen towards, held up, headway after 4th, stayed on from 3 out,
always behind, tailed off approaching 3 out
ridden after 4 out, weakening when fell 2 out
raced keen in touch, mistake and lost place 4th, not recover
never better than mid-division
in touch, ridden after 4 out, not quicken flat
mistake 4th, ridden and weakened from 3 out
led and very keen, headed after 4th, weakened quickly from next, pulled up before 3 out
held up towards rear, headway after 6th, no impression on leaders
tracked leaders until ridden and weakened after 5th
Less than a handful in with realistic chances in this seller and one of those is the top weight Better Moment. The gelding won a Worcester seller in Jun on fast ground and then scored again at Newton Abbot in similar conditions the following month. Despite looking exposed in handicap company since then, he has little to beat here and with A P McCoy in the saddle, should be good enough to win off a mark of 94. Ede'iff could be the one to chase him home. The mare won over course and distance on a sound surface last month and then disappointed next time at Hereford on similar going to this. If she handles the cut better then with a stone in hand of the top weight (including her jockey's 5lb claim), she could still give him plenty to do. The other Martin Pipe-trained runner in the line up is Randy, a German-bred gelding who has shown little in two runs so far. However, he is dropped back in trip here and if he settles better he could improve. The market might be our best guide to his chances. Orange tree Lad has some very ordinary form in selling company, but has at least made the frame a couple of times and could do so again, though his best form is on better ground. Finally, Lucky Heather has been off the track since finishing an 18 length fourth to Maousse Honor at Stratford in October. Her only win on the flat came with some cut in the ground, so there is potential for her to improve here, but a place looks her best bet.
