held up, towards rear, behind when mistake 8th, behind when blundered 16th, no chance after
jumped left, led after 1st, blundered 14th, headed after 17th, weakened approaching 4 out, pulled up before 3 out
held up, headway 15th, led 4 out to 3 out, soon driven, led flat, headed near finish
in rear, pushed along from 10th, hampered 11th, behind from 19th
always behind
chased leading pair, mistake 5th, hit 8th, mistake 11th, led approaching 20th, headed 4 out, led again 3 out, hit last, headed flat, led again near finish
held up towards rear, headway 17th, ridden and weakened approaching 4 out
mid-division, headway approaching 20th, weakened before 3 out
held up and behind, headway 18th, weakened before 3 out
led until after 1st, chased leader, led after 17th, headed before 20th, weakening when mistake 4 out
Sungates can outstay the likes of Cowboyboots, Calvic, Hautclan and Elvis Returns in the longest race of the day. Obviously Stamina is going to play a major part in the outcome here, but a look at the weights reveals that Sungates is now 4lb better off with Cowboyboots for the length-and-quarter that separated them at Fontwell in November. The latter always acts well round there, so it was a good effort by Sungates to get as close as he did. Since then, the Evan Williams-trained inmate has been turned over at Ascot, but off a decent weight and with a step up in trip to help, hopes are high that he can bounce back. Calvic will be all the better for his return to action at Haydock in December, but he will do well to defy topweight, while Hautclan looked woefully one-paced in first-time blinkers when sixth in a class 1 event at Warwick, but will at least appreciate the drop in grade. Elvis Returns has struggled since going up the weights and so is also passed over, with preference for Sungates.
