tracked winner, effort over 1f out, ridden and lost place inside final furlong, no extra, lost 3rd towards finish
tracked leaders, headway and effort over 1f out, soon ridden, chased winner inside final furlong, gaining towards finish, always held
tracked leaders, outpaced 2f out, lost place over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
made all, quickened from halfway, driven over 1f out, ridden and ran on well final furlong, in command towards finish
held up in last pair in touch, ridden to chase leaders over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, took 3rd towards finish, no impression
awkwardly away, held up in last pair in touch, headway over 2f out, soon driven to chase leaders, ridden over 1f out, no impression, lost place inside final furlong
Charlie Appleby trained the big-priced winner last year and will be hoping to perform the same feat with Ryan Moore riding Group 3 winner Rouleau, who is preferred to stablemate Venturous and another Godolphin runner in Steady Pace. The latter has found SHALAA too good on a couple of occasions now and the rest of the field will likely share the same experience today as the Gosden colt is the one to beat. He has improved with every start culminating in his first win at the highest level with victory in the Prix Morny at Deauville last month and can add another Group 1 to his tally by landing this. Coventry Stakes winner Buratino is a fourth colt sporting Godolphin colours but he came up short in a Group 1 in Ireland last time and Gimcrack winner Ajaya may prove a bigger threat with Madrinho harder to fancy.
Ajaya 7-2fav (9-0) Tracked leaders, led over 1f out, ridden and ran on, won at York 6f Grp 2 stks (1) gd in Aug beating Ribchester (9-0) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.
Buratino (IRE) 11-10fav (9-3) Chased leaders, ridden 2f out, disputed lead briefly 1 1/2f out, soon headed, no extra in 3rd final furlong, 3rd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Air Force Blue (9-3) at Curragh 6f Grp 1 stks (1) Good - Yielding in Aug.
Madrinho (IRE) 9-1 (8-13) Tracked leaders, ridden over 1f out, kept on to chase winner towards finish, no impression, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Venturous (8-13) at Doncaster 6f stks (2) gd in Sep.
Rouleau 2-1fav (9-1) Tracked leader, driven to lead over 1f out, ran on well, won at Kempton 6f Grp 3 stks (1) pol in Sep beating Dream Destination (9-1) by 1/2l, 8 ran.
Shalaa (IRE) 1-2fav (8-13) won at Deauville 6f Grp 1 (1) sft in Aug beating Gutaifan (8-13) by 1 3/4l, 5 ran.
Steady Pace 4-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, ridden 2f out, faded inside final furlong, 5th of 8, 6 3/4l behind Ajaya (9-0) at York 6f Grp 2 stks (1) gd in Aug.
Venturous (IRE) 10-11fav (8-13) In touch, headway over 2f out, went 2nd over 1f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, kept on well, won at Doncaster 6f stks (2) gd in Sep beating Madrinho (8-13) by 1/2l, 6 ran.
