chased leaders, pushed along halfway, weakened inside final 2f
steadied and flyjumped leaving stalls, held up, good headway over 1f out, quickened to lead inside final furlong, hung left, ran on
steadied start, raced keenly, held up tracking leaders, headway when not clear run and hampered over 1f out, ran on into 2nd and closed near finish, just held
chased clear leader, closed and hung left over 1f out, soon every chance until winner quickened on inside final furlong, no extra and lost 2nd towards finish
held up, pushed along halfway, never on terms
raced very freely, led and went clear 3f out, reduced lead and hung left over 1f out, headed and weakened
chased leaders, ridden 2f out, weakened soon after
Smokey Lane, a winner at Windsor and Salisbury last year and also placed in Listed company at Ayr, has the highest rating of these but also has to give his rivals plenty of weight. Major Jumbo has won twice on the all-weather since the turn of the year and makes more appeal than Merry Banter and Dazacam, who are also race-fit. Plata O Plomo made a winning debut at Haydock last May and then ran in the Norfolk Stakes. But he hasn’t raced since July and KYLLANG ROCK looks a better bet. James Tate’s Kyllachy colt was beaten a neck by Merry Banter in a Haydock nursery on his final start of 2016 but is a couple of pounds better off and should turn the tables.
Smokey Lane (IRE) 20-1 (9-1) Chased leaders, outpaced 3f out, rallied and edged left over 1f out, no impression inside final furlong, 8th of 12, 5 3/4l behind Sir Dancealot (9-1) at York 6f lst stks (1) gd in Oct.
Kyllang Rock (IRE) 10-1 (8-10) Raced far side, chased leaders, chased clear leader in group approaching final 3f, stayed on under pressure into 2nd and every chance inside final furlong, just held, 2nd of 15, nk behind Merry Banter (8-3) at Haydock 5f (2) gd in Sep.
Major Jumbo 7-5fav (9-7) Chased leaders, not clearest of runs over 1f out, soon switched right, went 2nd inside final furlong, pushed along and ran on to lead well inside final furlong, won at Wolverhampton 5f hcp (4) pol in Feb beating Blitz (9-5) by 1 1/4l, 6 ran.
Plata O Plomo 7-2 (9-1) Led, ridden over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, no extra and lost 2nd towards finish, 3rd of 4, 3l behind Big Time Baby (8-12) at Chester 5f stks (2) gd in Jul.
Dazacam 14-1 (9-7) Towards rear, headway over 2f out, chased winner inside final furlong until weakened and lost 2 places towards finish, 4th of 10, 4 1/2l behind Wick Powell (9-7) at Newcastle 6f hcp (4) pol in Mar.
Merry Banter 3-1 (9-7) Tracked winner, ridden over 1f out, kept on, not pace of winner, 2nd of 5, 1 3/4l behind Juan Horsepower (8-12) at Lingfield 5f hcp (3) pol in Mar.
Reedanjas (IRE) (8-11) 10th of 13, 31 3/4l behind Simmie (8-10) at Chantilly 5f lst stks pol in Nov.