tracked leaders on inside, pushed along over 2f out, ridden and unable to quicken over 1f out, weakened final furlong
raced keenly in rear, pushed along over 3f out, headway out wide travelling well 2f out, went 2nd and hung right inside final furlong, stayed on same pace, no chance with winner
held up in rear, rapid headway to lead 8f out, pushed along and headed 2f out, weakened over 1f out
led 6f, tracked leader, led again entering final 2f, ridden over 1f out, headed entering final furlong, disputing 2nd and kept on inside final furlong, no chance with winner
tracked leader over 7f out, handy 3rd, ridden to lead entering final furlong, stayed on well
tracked leaders on inside, pushed along and outpaced over 3f out, headway on far rail 2f out, ridden and unable to quicken over 1f out, kept on same pace in 4th inside final furlong
raced keenly, held up, switched left off off heels 10f out, headway out wide chasing leaders over 2f out, outpaced inside final 2f, plugged on in 5th final furlong
This looks ultra-competitive with a strong pace almost guaranteed if the versatile Gumball adopts his usual front-running role. Boss Power has run two solid races over 1m4f this year but has more than six lengths to find with the prolific Prince Alex on Haydock running over this trip last season and is no better off at the weights. Opera Gift’s second behind Ocean Wind at Doncaster in October was franked when the winner was beaten only a length by Stradivarius in the Sagaro Stakes at Ascot earlier in the week but it’s about time ISPAHAN was getting his head in front. He was slowly away when behind Prince Alex at York last season but wasn’t beaten far and is now 5lb better off.
Boss Power (IRE) 1-4fav (9-9) Raced keenly, tracked leader, led 9f out, ridden inside final 2f, strongly pressed throughout final furlong, headed on line, 2nd of 4, shd behind Amazing Red (9-7) at Leicester 1m 4f hcp (3) gf in Apr.
Midnights Legacy 5-1 (9-1) Bumped start, prominent, steadied over 9f out, pushed along over 3f out, last and struggling over 1f out, last of 5, 10 1/2l behind Outbox (9-10) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (2) pol in Mar.
Hasanabad (IRE) 5-1 (10-0) Held up, not fluent 2nd, outpaced from 5th, not fluent and weakened 3 out, well behind in 4th when jumped left last, 4th of 5, dist behind Tommy's Oscar (10-10) at Kelso 2m hcp (2) gs in Mar.
Gumball (FR) 16-1 (11-4) Led until before 5th, lost 2nd after 4 out, mistake 3 out, weakened from 2 out, mistake last, 3rd of 5, 23 1/4l behind Shishkin (11-4) at Aintree 2m (1) gs in Apr.
Opera Gift 6-5fav (8-7) Raced wide tracked leaders, headway to chase leader 3f out, ridden and unable to quicken over 1f out, stayed on towards finish, 2nd of 8, 1/2l behind Ocean Wind (10-0) at Doncaster 1m 7f hcp (2) sft in Oct.
Prince Alex 5-1 (8-4) Mid-division, headway from 3f out, led over 1f out, hard pressed, kept on, held on well, won at York 1m 6f hcp (2) sft in Oct beating Zeeband (8-8) by 1/2l, 11 ran.
Ispahan 8-1 (8-4) Last to break, held up in rear, not much room over 2f out, headway over 1f out, went 4th inside final furlong, never on terms with leaders, 4th of 11, 4 1/4l behind Prince Alex (8-4) at York 1m 6f hcp (2) sft in Oct.
