bumped start, tracked leader 2f, remained close up, ridden and weakened final furlong
led, ridden and headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
slowly into stride, soon close up, went 2nd 3f out, ridden and every chance over 1f out, kept on towards finish
dwelt, switched left soon after start, in touch in rear, effort over 1f out, soon led, asserted near finish
in touch in rear, ridden to go 4th, near finish
in touch, smooth headway to lead over 1f, soon ridden and headed, carried head high and lost 2nd, towards finish
The four-year-olds Wirral Way and Slap And Tickle face no easy task against the classic generation in this maiden where the vote goes to the reappearing KANAF, who gets the vote over Diamond Johnny G. Ed Creighton's gelding is becoming expensive to follow having had four starts already this term, latterly when well held behind Lucky Flyer in a maiden auction race at Windsor earlier this month and he has to be considered back on turf following that improved effort. Jeremy Gask's Sulis Minerva stepped up from his debut effort on the Polytrack when chasing home Free For All at Folkestone recently and he makes more appeal than Regal Emperor, who showed little sign of ability on his debut for David Nicholls. The vote then goes the way of Ed Dunlop's Kanaf, who ran well first time up as a juvenile and he looks worth siding with on his reappearance in a race that should not take much winning.
Wirral Way 25-1 (9-9) Held up, never dangerous, 6th of 7, 13l behind Sternlight (8-10) at Wolverhampton 6f mdn auc stks (5) pol in Jan.
Slap And Tickle (IRE) 7-1 (9-4) Tracked leading pair, ridden and weakened over 1f out, last of 9, 12l behind Arry's Orse (8-11) at Lingfield 6f mdn stks (5) pol in Feb.
Diamond Johnny G (USA) 11-8 (9-0) Chased leaders, wide on 1st bend, pushed along halfway, ridden and went 2nd 1f out, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 1 3/4l behind Lucky Flyer (8-9) at Kempton 5f mdn auc stks (5) pol.
Kanaf (IRE) 28-1 (9-3) Held up, headway 2f out, hampered slightly entering final furlong, stayed on, 3rd of 12, 1 1/4l behind Aerodynamic (9-3) at Nottingham 6f 2yo mdn (5) gd in Jun.
Regal Emperor (IRE) 20-1 (9-0) Chased leaders, went 2nd halfway, ridden and weakened 2f out, 14th of 15, 43l behind Bated Breath (9-0) at Pontefract 6f mdn stks (5) gd.
Sulis Minerva (IRE) 11-1 (8-12) Tracked leaders, ridden to lead and hung left over 1f out, headed narrowly 1f out, no extra near finish, 2nd of 9, 1 3/4l behind Free For All (9-3) at Folkestone 6f 3yo mdn aut (6) gs.
