prominent, until ridden and weakened over 3f out
held up, headway over 5f out, ridden over 3f out, stayed on final furlong
in touch, headway over 3f out, every chance over 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong
tracked leader, driven to challenge over 2f out, one pace final furlong
held up in touch, led over 4f out, strongly challenged from over 2f out, held on well under pressure
held up, ridden and headway over 1f out, stayed on well inside final furlong
slowly into stride, soon led, ridden and headed over 4f out, weakened over 3f out
Delsarte`showed enough on his latest start to justify being the selection, with Westmoreland Road and Island House his main rivals. Delsarte, a dual winner for Mark Johnston, had his last outing for the Middleham yard in the Great Voltigeur last August, and after a spell in the Dubai sunshine, beat all bar The Whistling Teal in Listed company at Newbury in May. That race proved one thing at least-that a mile and a half is as far as he gets, and with that in mind, Godolphin have done the right thing in finding this conditions event for him. He should now be spot on on in a bid to hold off the expected challenge of Westmoreland Road who hails from a revitalised stable. He ran badly in the St Leger but nearly came back with a bang when narrowly beaten by First Charter in Listed company over the course and distance last month. That was no mean effort and connections will be quietly confident after bypassing the Princess of Wales's Stakes here last week to wait for this. The dropped in trip Supremacy is a stablemate of First Charter so Sir Michael Stoute has a line to work on, but even so he faces a tough task on his first run since April. Island House meets Westmoreland Road on better terms than last time but this trip stretches his stamina and he again may be held, but in turn they might all have it to do with Delsarte who has scope enough to make his mark.
