held up tracking leading trio, bumped 3f out, hanging right and high head carriage when carried right inside final 2f, soon weakened, eased inside final furlong
held up last and moved poorly in early stages, headway when bumped inside final 2f, plugged on in 4th
held up in last pair, headway on outside 2f out, soon chasing leaders and hung right, 3rd and one pace final furlong
tracked leaders on inside, going well when not clear run 3f out and barged way through, went 2nd over 2f out, ridden to lead inside final 2f, stayed on well
led until 3f out, weakening when hampered on rail inside final 2f
tracked leader, led 3f out, ridden and headed inside final 2f, plugged on same pace in 2nd, no chance with winner
THE CORPORAL has an 8lb hike in the weights to contend with having completed a recent double at Yarmouth. But it took little effort to score by an easy four lengths on his latest start and the hat-trick beckons for Chris Wall’s charge. There was little between Craneur and Steeve when they filled the places over today’s trip at Salisbury while the remainder step up in distance. Of those, Dargel is preferred to Athmad but Skyman may prove a bigger threat having finished a close-up third over 1m1f at Newbury last time.
The Corporal (IRE) 5-2fav (9-0) Led to over 7f out, tracked leaders, driven well over 2f out, switched right, challenged inside final 2f, ridden to lead again over 1f out, drew clear inside final furlong, won at Yarmouth 1m 2f hcp (4) gf in Aug beating Alhaazm (9-7) by 4l, 9 ran.
Athmad (IRE) 14-1 (9-1) Taken to post early, close up, effort 2f out, weakened final furlong, 6th of 10, 10l behind Qaysar (10-0) at Newbury 1m hcp (3) gd in Aug.
Dargel (IRE) 10-11fav (9-13) Held up in touch, ridden and headway on outside over 1f out, edged right, ran on inside final furlong, not quite reach winner, 2nd of 8, 1/2l behind Image Of The Moon (9-6) at Kempton 1m hcp (5) pol in Aug.
Skyman 5-1 (9-3) Held up in last pair, headway over 2f out, kept on in 3rd final furlong, 3rd of 10, 1/2l behind Kheros (9-4) at Newbury 1m 1f hcp (5) sft in Aug.
Steeve 4-1jfav (9-0) Tracked leader 2f, handy 3rd, went 2nd again over 2f out until 2f out, driven and one pace in 3rd over 1f out, 3rd of 11, 2 3/4l behind Blistering Bob (10-0) at Salisbury 1m 2f hcp (5) sft in Aug.
Craneur 6-1 (8-10) Raced very wide until crossed over and headway into 2nd 8f out, led over 3f out, ridden 2f out, kept narrow lead until headed inside final furlong, stayed on same pace, 2nd of 11, 2 1/4l behind Blistering Bob (10-0) at Salisbury 1m 2f hcp (5) sft in Aug.
