held up behind leaders stand side, pushed along halfway, ridden and stayed on same pace final furlong
towards rear and never dangerous stand side group
held up far side group, pushed along halfway, ridden and stayed on final furlong
led stand side group, headed 2f out, soon behind
took keen hold behind leaders far side, effort over 2f out, soon beaten
never better than mid-division far side group
prominent to halfway stand side
mid-division far side, chased along halfway, never dangerous
towards rear far side group, pushed along halfway, some late headway, never able to challenge
held up mid-division far side, pushed along over 2f out, stayed on final furlong
led far side, ridden over 1f out, kept on final furlong until headed close home
tracked leaders stand side, led 2f out, one pace final furlong
held up mid-division, effort when squeezed for room 2f out, never able to challenge
prominent stand side, ridden 2f out, weakened inside final furlong
prominent far side, pushed along halfway, ridden and no extra final furlong
A bit of a minefield from a punting perspective and the selection of Along The Nile is made as much in hope as it is in confidence as the likes of Wizardmicktee, Zomerlust and Arctic Fox have all shown enough to take a race of this nature. It may be dangerous to apply too much reasoning to any draw bias from earlier races on the card as races like this tend to go to the best horse on the day wherever they have to start from. However, a near-rails position for Desert Phoenix will help the Richard Fahey-trained filly stay on a true line and she is one to watch out for if a speculative each-way play appeals as the best policy in a tricky contest to fathom. Wizardmicktee will be a big danger after his solid performance at Chester at the start of this month. However, the drop in trip may not be ideal for Alan Bailey's charge and there may be better value top be had elsewhere. Which leads back to Along The Nile, who showed great resolution after a slow start last time. Tony Beech takes a handy 3lb off his back and, with the ground unlikely to be an inconvenience, Along The Nile is fancied to come good at the third time of asking in a race where the assessor already has a modest starting point of only 69 to work from.