held up in rear, ridden over 3f out, headway over 2f out, kept on same pace when hanging left over 1f out
chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 1f out
held up, ridden and headway on outer 3f out, every chance inside last, just held
chased leader, led over 4f out, ridden over 2f out, headed over 1f out, soon weakened
led and reminders start, headed over 4f out, quickly weakened, tailed off from over 3f out
chased leaders, went 2nd over 3f out, ridden to lead over 1f out, stayed on well under pressure inside last
David Barron holds strong claims here running both Eight Woods and Grand Lass and preference goes to the former. This former Irish hurdler has had three runs in this country and showed enough on his most recent outing at Wolverhampton, when a close up third in a decent handicap, to suggest he has the ability to win a race of this nature. Grand Lass is an improving five-year-old who takes a step down in class after finishing a fair third behind Jair Ohmsford in a Wolverhampton handicap earlier this month and should go close in this company. Of the others, on official ratings, both Luxi River and Platinum Charmer must come into the reckoning, however a bigger threat could be Ming The Merciless who takes a big drop in class and hails from a very shrewd yard. So not a race to get too involved in but we will side with Eight Woods.
