held up, headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, held by winner after, stayed on
slow to break, held up, ridden and weakened over 2f out
tracked leaders, shaken up over 3f out, challenged over 1f out, led inside final furlong, cosily
led, ridden 2f out, soon outpaced
tracked leader, led 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, one pace
Cirrus Minor steps up in trip having returned a losing favourite at Wolverhampton recently. Ambient was another disappointment when finishing a modest fifth at Lingfield while the more exposed Not After Midnight was well beaten in a handicap last time. Heavy ground may have been an excuse for Sunhill Lad’s nine-length defeat at Pontefract in September but with doubts surrounding all of the above, a chance is taken STRANGE SOCIETY improves for a recent debut third at Chelmsford and Hugo Palmer’s colt gets the nod.
Ambient (IRE) 5-2 (9-2) Hampered soon after start, tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, weakened final furlong, 5th of 13, 7 1/2l behind Radio Source (9-2) at Lingfield 7f stks (5) gs in Aug.
Hocus Focus (IRE) Intense Focus colt out of Hedera.
Strange Society (IRE) 5-2jfav (9-2) Slowly away soon recovered, in touch, pushed along and headway over 2f out, one pace final furlong, 3rd of 12, 5 1/2l behind Music Society (9-2) at Chelmsford City 7f stks (6) pol in Nov.
Sunhill Lad (IRE) 8-1 (8-12) Led, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on and no chance with winner, 2nd of 8, 9l behind Unwritten (9-2) at Pontefract 1m stks (4) hvy in Sep.
Not After Midnight (IRE) 20-1 (9-9) Raced wide in touch, ridden and weakened over 1f out, 12th of 13, 8 3/4l behind Insurgence (9-4) at Lingfield 7f (5) pol in Nov.
Cirrus Minor (FR) 2-1fav (9-0) In touch in 4th place, one pace, 7th of 11, 7 1/4l behind Gold Filigree (9-0) at Wolverhampton 6f fll stks (5) pol in Nov.