chased leader until 4th, 2nd again 7th, mistake 9th, lost place 11th, well beaten 4 out
led until 3 out, 4th and weakening before last
held up in rear, headway 12th, challenging when slight peck 2 out, led flat, driven out
not always fluent, in rear, headway on outside 4 out, mistake 3 out, led from 2 out, headed flat, held close home
mid-division on outside, lost place when not fluent 8th, given reminders, weakened 12th, blundered badly 3 out, pulled up before next
chased leaders, not fluent 7th, went 2nd 10th, led 3 out, not fluent and headed 2 out, one pace
chased leaders on inside, 2nd from 4th until 7th, weakened after 4 out
Ciceron hasn't won for a while but was second at Sedgefield two weeks ago and can't get much lower in the weights. EVER SO MUCH was five lengths behind that day but there shouldn't be much between the pair on today's terms with Ben Haslam's charge fancied to turn the tables on slightly better ground. Bally Lagan needs to recapture his best but has claims if doing so and makes more appeal than top weight Hit The Headlines and Spock.
Hit The Headlines (IRE) 9-1 (11-5) Held up in touch, under pressure 6 out, left in 2nd 4 out, effort 2 out, weakened after last, 2nd of 5, 20l behind Long Lunch (11-12) at Chepstow 2m 3f hcp (4) sft in Apr.
Spock (FR) 14-1 (12-0) Led 1st, jumped right from 4th, headed 7th, chased clear leader (winner), lost place 5 out, weakened 3 out, 5th of 8, dist behind Decade Player (12-0) at Wetherby 2m 3f (6) gd in May.
Ever So Much (IRE) 5-1 (11-3) Chased leaders, went 2nd 4 out, pushed along before 2 out, no impression when lost 2nd before last, kept on same pace in 3rd, 3rd of 6, 18l behind Edmund (11-12) at Sedgefield 2m 3f hcp (4) gf in May.
Ciceron (IRE) 10-1 (10-12) Held up in last pair, jumped slowly 10th, headway 12th, 3rd 4 out, driven and went 2nd before the last, kept on same pace run-in, no chance with winner, 2nd of 6, 13l behind Edmund (11-12) at Sedgefield 2m 3f hcp (4) gf in May.
Treacy Hotels Boy (IRE) 8-1 (11-6) In rear, behind 6th, tailed off when mistake 9th, soon pulled up, at Newton Abbot 2m hcp (5) gf in May.
Bally Lagan (IRE) 12-1 (10-4) Mid-division, mistake 9th, rider unbalanced and lost iron bypassing 12th, never on terms, 7th of 13, dist behind Gowanauthat (11-8) at Kempton 2m 4f hcp (4) gd in May.
That's The Deal (IRE) 25-1 (10-2) Chased leaders, lost place 8th, behind and reminders next, tailed off and pulled up before 11th, at Southwell 2m 4f hcp (4) gs in Apr.