held up in touch, improved 6f out. ridden over 4f out. weakened 2f out. soon eased, saddle slipped
tracked leader until over 3f out, outpaced over 2f out, driven and stayed on inside final furlong.
pulled hard, held up, headway over 4f out, led over 3f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, eased final furlong
led over 12f
tracked leader, ridden 4f out, soon weakened
held up in rear, headway over 3f out, effort when hampered over 1f out, not recover
patiently ridden in rear, headway on bit over 2f out, switched left over 1f out, led inside final furlong, idled in front
held up mid-division, hampered and lost place over 4f out, switched left, headway when hampered over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong.
held up in rear, headway 3f out, chased leader over 2f out, hung right and led over 1f out, driven and headed inside final furlong, no extra
The Richard Guest-trained Admiral makes plenty of appeal at the likely odds and edges a narrow verdict over Race The Ace and Nounou, who head the list of alternatives. Skye's Folly is a consistent type and is another to monitor for signs of each-way support. The James Given-trained gelding acts well on fast ground and will exploit any weaknesses in the opposition should they materialise. Nounou is in great heart and has already proved that he stays this trip well. Still, this is his toughest assignment for a while and he needs to find a little improvement to expand upon his record. Race The Ace won well over course and distance last October and has to be seriously considered as a threat. He should have benefited from his reappearance at Doncaster and will be very hard to keep out of the frame at least. However, Admiral looked a very useful type when he won a valuable handicap for Sir Michael Stoute at Royal Ascot last year and still has scope for improvement now he reverts to the Flat. Two miles is absolutely no problem for the son of Alhaarth and, with the ground to his liking, he can strike a blow for a yard that are more than capable of plotting one up for a raid on Flat-race prize-money.