chased leaders, ridden over 4f out, weakened over 1f out
led, ridden and headed over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
with leader, ridden over 4f out, soon weakened, tailed off final 3f
held up, headway over 3f out, chased winner over 2f out, kept on, no impression
slowly away, soon chasing leaders, led over 3f out, ridden clear over 2f out, eased inside final furlong
in rear, pushed along over 4f out, headway over 2f out, one pace, no impression approaching final furlong
chased leaders, behind final 5f
Victory Quest might just provide the answer here, with Fall In Line, Stravmour and Digger possibly posing the biggest threats. Six of the eight runners here are course or course and distance winners, but Fall In Line is not among their number. She absolutely hacked up at Wolverhampton on Monday and connections have elected to let her to carry a penalty in a bid to follow up. She will, quite justifiably, attract supporters, but this race looks a little tougher than the one at Wolves. Digger has been raised three pounds for an 11-furlong win here on January 13. That was a career-best effort so he can go well again. George Stubbs won a maiden here in 2001 but keeps getting raised for defeats and there is a feeling in some quarters that a strongly-run 12 furlongs stretches his stamina. Victory Quest and Stravmour are very closely weighted on the basis of their course and distance runs on December 27, but using the third-placed horse there - Trouble Mountain - as the basis of a formline, Digger has two or three pounds to find on that pair today. Night Warrior is still two pounds higher than for his 11-furlong win here in September, while Aveiro runs quickly after a solid win here over 11 furlongs on January 20. However, on balance, he might find a couple too good for him here. Of these, most of all we like the look of Victory Quest.
