mid-division, headway after 4 out, chased winner before 2 out, one pace and lost 2nd towards finish
chased leaders, led 4 out, clear before last, easily
led, headed 4 out, weakened run-in
held up mid-division, headway before 2 out, kept on to take 2nd place towards finish
behind, headway 3 out, ridden before 2 out, weakened last
in rear, pushed along before 6 out, weakened 4 out
chased leader, pushed along before 3 out, soon weakened
EL BEAU completed a double in juvenile events before finding Superb Story too strong here on New Year's Day. He was conceding 10lb to the winner and can return to winning ways though Streets Of Newyork will be a real danger. Brian Ellison's charge ran a superb race when runner-up in a Listed contest here 10 days ago, when his stablemate It's A Mans World was 10 lengths behind, and will prove difficult to keep out of the frame. Dark Dune was in excellent shape around this time a year ago but shot up the weights after completing a double. He's gone up another 3lb after finishing runner-up at Catterick which won't aid his cause, though his rider's claim is a bonus.
Dark Dune (IRE) 6-1 (10-9) Tracked leaders, mistake 4th, led 3 out, headed before 2 out, not fluent last, stayed on same pace flat, 2nd of 8, 3 1/2l behind Local Hero (11-6) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-140 (3) sft in Jan.
Streets Of Newyork 6-1 (10-4) Tracked leader, led before 2 out, ridden and headed last, kept on, 2nd of 11, 1 1/4l behind Retrieve (10-0) at Musselburgh 2m Listed hcp hdl (1) gd.
It's A Mans World 28-1 (9-7) Led, headed before 2 out, weakened before last, 6th of 11, 11l behind Retrieve (10-0) at Musselburgh 2m Listed hcp hdl (1) gd.
El Beau (IRE) 9-4 (11-8) Held up mid-division, ridden before and blundered last when in 2nd, kept on and always well held by winner, 2nd of 10, 4 1/2l behind Superb Story (10-12) at Musselburgh 2m 4yo hdl (3) gs in Jan.
Santo Prince (USA) 28-1 (10-10) In rear, pushed along and no extra in 7th 2 out, eased before last, last of 8, 47l behind Golden Plan (10-11) at Thurles 2m 4f hcp hdl in Jan.
Orchard Road (USA) 17-2 (11-3) Close up, weakened before 2 out, 7th of 9, well behind Emral Silk (11-8) at Catterick 2m 3f hcp hdl 0-115 (4) gs in Jan.
Neville Woods 11-1 (10-13) Prominent, ridden and weakened last, 6th of 13, 15l behind Teo Vivo (11-9) at Kelso 2m hcp hdl 0-120 (4) sft in Dec.
