in touch, soon towards rear, pulled up before 2 out
mistake 2nd, soon behind, tailed off after 4th, pulled up before 3 out
prominent, ridden after 4th, weakened before 3 out
held up in mid-division, ridden and headway approaching 3 out, led approaching 2 out, driven out
led to 2nd, ridden and chased leader 4th, led 3 out, hard ridden and headed approaching 2 out, no fluent last, no extra
behind and outpaced, ridden after 3 out, stayed on well from 2 out, nearest finish
prominent, led after 2nd, soon clear, ridden and headed 3 out, weakened after
prominent, weakened 3 out, pulled up before 2 out
Ran out through wing and unseated rider 1st
always prominent, headway on bit after 3 out, never troubled leaders
A tricky maiden in which the newcomers may hold the key, with Barton Sands taken to make a winning debut against Alva Glen and Night Driver. The latter boasts experience, including a third over the course and distance last week. That was nothing special though and he will have to improve markedly to open his account here. Barton Sands started his career with Luca Cumani for whom he was successful at Hamilton and went on to run in the John Smith's Magnet Cup when with Roy Brotherton. Claimed after running second at York in September, the six-year-old has had three runs on the level for Martin Pipe, but has schooled well enough to be considered to make a winning debut here against moderate opposition. He is joined in the line up by stablemate Jardin Fleu, a French import, but a bigger danger may be Venetia Williams' Alva Glen, an ex-Sir Michael Stoute inmate who has been plying his trade in Dubai. His form on the Flat is just as good as Barton Sands, but we prefer the latter on this occasion.
