tracked leaders, pushed along halfway, ridden and headway and every chance 2f out, weakened final furlong
held up in touch, ridden and outpaced over 3f out, some headway 2f, no impression soon after
tracked leaders, pushed along halfway, every chance 2f out, hung right and led over 1f out, ran on
held up in rear, in touch, ridden over 3f out, headway over 1f out, stayed on to go 2nd final furlong
led, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
with leader, led over 3f out, ridden hung left and headed over 1f out, kept on inside final furlong
Several course specialists line up here and that will ask a big question of CLOUDY CITY, but we expect him to find the answers and score from First Post and Sweet Child O'mine. Mark Johnston has his string in perpetually good order and this son of Giant's Causeway is bred to come into his own now aged three. He makes his course and handicap debut off a mark of 74 and a deal of guesswork is therefore required, but his breeding offers great hope as to his ability to act here and he really should prove better than his rating in time. First Post improved immeasurably for the switch to Fibresand when winning last time and the handicapper may have taken a chance in rating him 71. He's related to winners on the surface and time scholars will have been impressed by his winning performance last time, so he's certainly got claims in this heat. Similar comments apply to Sweet Child O'mine who sprung a 100/1 surprise when winning here on debut. That was over today's trip and she's proved it no fluke since by going close in handicaps, so whilst a 3lb rise makes life tougher there may be more to come. Paintball ran poorly off this mark last time but acts here and could bounce back. The handicapper clearly wants to give the horse another look before dropping him in the weights and perhaps he'll prove capable of this mark but after that run he's worth taking on alongside Tiger Hawk, the most exposed runner in the field whose best runs have come in plating company. Wedding Dream has claims but hides less from the handicapper than some and we prefer the chance of Cloudy City.
Cloudy City (USA) 6-1 (8-13) Slowly into stride, towards rear, pushed along halfway, hard driven over 2f out, stayed on to take 3rd, well inside final furlong, 3rd of 12, 2l behind Notorize (9-1) at Goodwood 1m 2yo mdn aut (5) gd in Aug.
Paintball (IRE) 2-1fav (9-1) In touch, ridden and no impression from 2f out, 4th of 6, 12l behind Ostentation (8-10) at Southwell 1m 3yo hcp 0-75 (5) fbs in Feb.
Sweet Child O'mine 7-2 (8-11) Pressed winner, driven and every chance over 2f out, soon ridden, kept on until no extra final furlong, 2nd of 4, 1 3/4l behind Love Delta (9-4) at Southwell 6f 3yo hcp 0-75 (5) fbs in Jan.
First Post (IRE) 50-1 (9-3) Close up, ridden inside final furlong, soon led, kept on, won at Southwell 1m 3yo mdn stks (5) fbs in Feb beating Calculus Affair (9-3) by 1 1/2l, 6 ran.
Wedding Dream 6-1 (9-4) Led, headed just below 2f out, no extra inside final furlong, 3rd of 5, 5l behind Miami Gator (8-13) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f 3yo hcp 0-70 (5) pol in Feb.
Tiger Hawk (USA) 11-4 (8-13) Prominent, chased winner 2f out, hard ridden over 1f out, no extra well inside final furlong, 4th of 9, 1 1/2l behind Vittachi (8-12) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f 3yo sell stks (6) pol in Feb.
