made all, not fluent 5th, mistake 2 out, soon driven and strongly challenged when mistake last, kept on well under pressure
held up in rear, headway to track leader 4th, every chance last, stayed on same pace
tracked leaders, effort after 2 out, hung left and weakened approaching last
chased leaders, mistake 3rd, soon lost place, rallied 3 out, weakened after next
tracked leader, lost place 4th, soon towards rear, weakened 2 out
Rouge Vif was well backed when making a winning debut in a soft-ground Ludlow bumper in March but the form has not been franked. LUNGARNO PALACE and Finley's Eyes have both been absent since May. Fergal O’Brien’s charge has a penalty for winning at Huntingdon earlier but carried extra when placed at Kempton and Warwick subsequently so can get back to winning ways here ahead of Harry Skelton’s runner and the others.
Lungarno Palace (USA) 7-1 (9-8) Prominent, driven and effort 3f out, led over 1f out, headed entering final furlong, no extra towards finish, 5th of 13, 2 3/4l behind The Way You Dance (9-4) at Lingfield 2m hcp (6) pol in May.
Finley's Eyes (IRE) 5-1 (10-12) Pulled hard in rear, headway after 3 out, left in 3rd place next, kept on run-in, 2nd final 100 yards, not reach winner, 2nd of 13, 1 3/4l behind Telegraph Place (10-12) at Warwick 2m (4) gs in May.
Highway Star (FR) 33-1 (10-12) Held up in touch, struggling after 5th, soon lost touch, tailed off when pulled up after 3 out, at Market Rasen 2m 5f (4) gd in Aug.
Princess Midnight 250-1 (10-3) Behind struggling after 5th, tailed off 4 out, soon pulled up, at Newton Abbot 2m 2f mdn (4) gd in Aug.
Talkingpicturestv 100-1 (10-5) Always towards rear, outpaced 3 out, tailed off from next, last of 9, dist behind Nylon Speed (10-12) at Warwick 2m (4) gd in Sep.
Rouge Vif (FR) 9-2 (10-7) Always prominent, led 2f out, pushed out well inside final furlong, readily, won at Ludlow 2m (4) sft in Mar beating Ballinahinch (11-0) by 1 1/4l, 8 ran.
