led, not fluent 3rd, mistake 3 out, headed next, kept on same pace, no impression on winner
held up, ridden and weakened approaching 3 out, tailed off
mid-division, headway 5th, 4th and pushed along when appeared to go wrong and pulled up before 3 out
tracked leaders, went 2nd 6th, led 2 out, shaken up and went clear flat, easily
led into start, held up in rear, not fluent 2nd, mistake 6th, headway approaching 3 out, 5th and no impression when not fluent last, weakened flat
mid-division, mistake 5th, soon outpaced, weakened well before 3 out
prominent, not fluent 5th, ridden before 3 out, not fluent last, one pace and lost 3rd flat
held up in mid-division, not fluent 1st, headway approaching 3 out, went 3rd flat, stayed on, not able to get on terms
BROUGHTON, a winner three times over 1m2f on the Flat last summer, looks a nice prospect on the evidence of his close second to Fox Norton in a Grade 2 at Doncaster in December. The pair were clear of Royal Irish Hussar, who had won his previous three including a defeat of Guitar Pete at Cheltenham. The latter went on to beat Clarcam at Leopardstown so Gordon Elliott's charge faces a stiff task here conceding 7lb. Adeupas D'ycy makes his hurdling debut but should win races and Space Ship caught the eye at Leopardstown in December and is open to plenty of improvement. Investment Expert and Thorpe will find easier opportunities in the coming weeks.
Clarcam (FR) 14-1 (10-12) Chased leader in 3rd, mistake 2nd, left 2nd after 3rd and led next, ridden and headed early straight, no impression on winner last and no extra run-in,, 2nd of 5, 7l behind Guitar Pete (10-12) at Leopardstown 2m 3yo hdl Grd 2 (1) sft in Dec.
Most Honourable 15-8fav (10-6) Tracked leaders, ridden 3 out, soon weakened, 4th of 6, 49l behind Emral Silk (11-6) at Catterick 2m 3f nh nov hdl (4) sft in Jan.
Adeupas D'ycy (FR) 7-2 (10-12) Mid-division, headway 3f out, went 2nd over 1f out, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner, 2nd of 10, 13l behind Modus (10-12) at Cheltenham 1m 6f 4yo NH flat (Listed) (1) sft in Jan.
Broughton (GER) 8-1 (10-12) Held up in rear, switched left and headway before and not fluent 2 out, stayed on and just held near finish, 2nd of 5, hd behind Fox Norton (11-5) at Doncaster 2m 3yo hdl Grd 2 (1) gd in Dec.
Hawker 6-1 (9-5) Dwelt held up, headway over 1f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on, won at Lingfield 1m 2f 3yo mdn stks (5) pol in Nov beating Vermont (9-5) by shd, 7 ran (flat).
Investment Expert (IRE) 6-1 (10-12) Tracked leaders, driven 2 out, stayed on same pace, no impression in 4th before last, 4th of 8, 10l behind Certification (10-12) at Wetherby 2m 4yo mdn hdl (5) sft in Jan.
Space Ship 9-1 (11-0) Close up, on terms when mistake 4th, headed, not fluent 4 out, not much room before last and no impression, kept on well run-in, 5th of 18, 5l behind Plinth (11-0) at Leopardstown 2m 3yo mdn hdl sft in Dec.
Thorpe (IRE) 9-2 (10-7) With leaders and keen, led 5th, headed before 3 out, ridden before 2 out, not fluent last, kept on and no chance with winner, 2nd of 5, 6l behind Rutherglen (11-8) at Musselburgh 2m 4yo hdl (3) sft in Jan.
