mid-division, headway after 5th, led on bit 3 out, drew clear from 2 out, eased near finish
held up, jumped right and unseated rider 2nd
not fluent, chased leaders, weakened approaching 3 out, 4th, well beaten when jumped right 2 out
held up towards rear, behind from 5th, tailed off
chased leaders, not fluent 5th, ridden before next, weakened approaching 3 out
held up towards rear, reminder after 5th, headway before next, went 2nd 2 out, stayed on, no chance with winner
took keen hold, chased leader, led 6th, headed 3 out, soon ridden, 3rd and weakening when not fluent last
led to 6th, soon weakened, tailed off
held up towards rear, no headway from 6th, behind when jumped right final 2, tailed off
held up, pushed along after 5th, no progress, tailed off
mid-division, weakened quickly 5th, tailed off when pulled up before next
Faucon Bleu, Risk Runner and Yellow Flag are the three to look at here and preference is for Faucon Bleu. Risk Runner comes here from a busy Flat campaign where he was only modest but nonetheless ran some good races in defeat and showed his liking for soft ground. That preference will certainly be necessary here as the conditions are likely to be very testing. Hailing from the Alan King yard he is respected. Yellow Flag was purchased at the Newmarket sales for 100,000 guineas and is Flat bred, being a son of Halling. He is a full brother to the useful Parasol and is probably the quickest of the field. Trained by Andre Fabre, he finished third of ten over a mile and a half on his only outing. That was on soft ground in France and with the yard flying any market move should be heeded, although it's worth noting that Tony McCoy is at Wetherby. Henrietta Knight saddles Faucon Bleu, who makes his debut in this country after two very promising placed efforts in France. He showed he handles testing conditions and those two runs will have given him valuable experience. Faucon Bleu can swoop late on and take the opener.
Faucon Bleu (FR) (10-1) Led halfway to run-in, no extra, 2nd of 17, 1 1/2l behind Lou Flight (9-13) at Enghien 2m hdl gd in Apr.
Herald Angel (FR) 7-1 (10-12) Never fluent, hit 1st, towards rear, weakened after 5th, 6th of 12, well behind Katies Tuitor (10-12) at Kempton 2m 3yo nov hdl (3) gd.
Impress 33-1 (10-9) Always towards rear, 6th of 11, well behind Freeze The Flame (11-5) at Uttoxeter 2m 3yo nov hdl (4) sft.
Risk Runner (IRE) 16-1 (8-11) Mid-division, ridden over 2f out, not quicken over 1f out, weakened, eased inside final furlong, 7th of 11, 6l behind Charlie Tokyo (8-8) at Windsor 1m 2f 3yo hcp (4) sft (Flat).
Tirol Livit (IRE) 66-1 (10-12) Tracked leader until carried out 5 out in race won by European Dream (10-12) at Wetherby 2m 3yo mdn hdl (5) gd, 19 ran.
Wensleydale Star 11-2 (10-12) In touch, ridden after 3 out, soon weakened, 5th of 10, 15l behind Archimboldo (10-3) at Bangor 2m 1f 3yo nov hdl (4) gf in Sept.
Yellow Flag (9-2) Made most to 1f out, no extra, 3rd of 11, 1 1/2l behind Armand (9-2) at Clairefontaine 1m 4f 3yo stk in Jul (Flat).
Brastar Jelois (FR) (8-13) Prominent, led over 1f out, stayed on well, won at Chantilly 1m 2f 3yo clm in Sept beating Marchand D'argent (8-13) by 2l, 17 ran (Flat).
