last pair, pushed along in rear and outpaced after 3rd, tailed off
held up in touch, ridden and weakened before hit 2 out, blundered last
pulled hard, headway to lead after 2nd, went left and headed 2 out, chased winner, rallied last, driven and stayed on run-in
tracked leader until 2nd, chased leaders, 2nd again 3 out, led 2 out, driven run-in, all out
led until after 2nd, chased leader until 3 out, chased leaders, no extra in 4th next
took keen hold, tracked leaders, hit 4 out, pushed along before 2 out, went 3rd 2 out, kept on same pace
A fair turnout for a decent purse and PARTHENIUS is taken to put one on the board for the Skeltons. He's put in two really competitive efforts this term and can go one better despite the handicapper's decision to raise him 6lb for finishing second again last time. High Expectations will find this far easier than the ultra-competitive Galway handicap on the Flat he contested recently and the best of his hurdles form places him bang in the firing line. Politeness is respected in receipt of weight all round but is raised in grade while Caius Marcius takes a break from his fledgling chase career. Mirsaale has it to do at the weights so Captain Felix is seen as the main threat to the selection after a good run in Listed company last time.
Mirsaale 33-1 (9-6) Slowly into stride, always behind, 12th of 19, 23 1/4l behind Cosmelli (9-7) at Newcastle 2m hcp (2) pol in Jun.
Parthenius (GER) 11-8fav (11-10) Held up in mid-division, headway approaching 3 out, ridden after next, went 2nd before last where landed awwkwardly, led narrowly flat, headed close home, 2nd of 9, nk behind Innocent Touch (12-1) at Stratford 2m hcp (3) gd in Aug.
High Expectations (FR) 9-1 (9-12) Mid-division, pushed along and dropped towards rear approaching straight, no extra, eased inside final furlong, 12th of 18, 28 1/2l behind Camlann (9-9) at Galway 1m 4f hcp sft in Aug.
Caius Marcius (IRE) 6-4 (11-2) Tracked winner throughout, blundered 2nd, ridden before 2 out, 2 lengths down in clear 2nd last, kept on same pace, no impression flat, 2nd of 4, 3 3/4l behind One For Billy (11-8) at Perth 2m (4) gd in Jul.
Captain Felix 14-1 (10-4) Tracked leader, effort 2 out, stayed on same pace, 4th of 13, 6 1/2l behind L'inganno Felice (11-5) at Market Rasen 2m 1f hcp lst (1) gd in Jul.
Politeness (FR) 7-1 (11-2) Chased leaders, went 2nd soon after 5th until pushed along well before 2 out, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 4, 7l behind Our Lucas (11-0) at Perth 2m hcp (3) gd in Aug.