led, ridden and headed inside final furlong, rallied and led again close home
tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, stayed on to lead inside final furlong, soon headed and no extra close home
dwelt, outpaced, behind early, headway well over 1f out, stayed on final furlong
chased leaders, ridden over 2f out, never able to challenge
chased leaders, ridden halfway, weakened over 1f out
held up in touch, ridden over 2f out, never dangerous
The first of eight races should see Montana get off the mark with, Taggerty and Do Buy Me best of the rest. Montana has shaped very well in two starts this year, at Newbury and Lingfield, both efforts a big improvement on his two runs last term. At three he has the scope to progress a lot more than Taggerty who has to give him a pound but is two stone lower on the official ratings. Montana was fancied on the second of his two outings, and only failing by three parts of a length to beat Merlin¿s Dancer, his cause not helped by continually hanging to the left. As long as Kevin Darley can keep him straight, the son of Puissance looks the one to be on. Taggerty has shown up well on a number of occasions, having been placed on three of his last four outings. His most recent effort came here over seven furlongs when not for the first time failing to see out the trip. He has been tried over six furlongs before without success but you cannot blame connections for having another crack at the distance as this is not exactly a strong race on paper. Rated in the 60¿s at the start of his career, the five-year-old is now on a mark of 43 but will do better in a handicap. Do Buy Me has not qualified for such events yet but will have no problem being placed to good effect in the future judged on her Southwell debut. Sent off as favourite on the strength of some encouraging homework, greenness cost her in the later stages and she will know more this time. The drop back in trip will help as well, but not enough to stop Montana from obliging.
