took keen hold, tracked winner, no impression when ridden and lost 2nd 2f out, weakened into 4th over 1f out
tracked leaders, pushed along 4f out, weakened over 3f out, tailed off
slowly into stride, soon pushed along and recovered chasing leaders, weakened 4f out, behind and eased final 2f, tailed off
chased leaders, pushed along 4f out, weakened 2f out
held up in rear but in touch, headway into 4th 3f out, plugged on into modest 3rd over 1f out
made all, kicked on 3f out, ridden and clear 2f out, ridden out, unchallenged
held up in last pair in touch, headway on outside over 3f out, ridden and went 2nd 2f out, edged right and kept on inside final furlong, never able to challenge
Dolphin Village ended last year with back-to-back victories on Polytrack and has won five times on Turf, though never on going as testing as this. Goldslinger didn't take to hurdling over the winter but won four times on the level last year, including when beating the race-fit BRANDON CASTLE (NAP) by three-quarters-of-a-length at Chester in September. But Andrew Balding's charge is now 4lb better off so is entitled to turn the tables and he's also guaranteed to go in the ground. Starwatch and Moojaned are previous course winners but the former may need this and the latter is struggling for form at present.
Starwatch 15-2 (9-9) Traced winner until 7f out, tracked leaders, ridden 2f out, soon weakened, 5th of 6, 9 1/4l behind Sweet P (9-2) at Windsor 1m 4f hcp (3) sft in Oct.
Pilgrims Rest (IRE) 12-1 (10-12) Mid-division, tracked leaders after 4 out, ridden and one pace after next, modest 4th 2 out, hit last, 4th of 14, 23 1/4l behind Never Equalled (10-12) at Ffos Las 2m (4) hvy in Dec.
Dolphin Village (IRE) 7-4fav (9-6) Tracked leaders, squeezed through to challenge over 1f out, led inside final furlong, ran on, won at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp (4) pol in Dec beating Clovelly Bay (9-4) by 1/2l, 7 ran.
Goldslinger (FR) 2-1fav (10-12) With leader until attempted to run out 1st, stayed prominent, weakened from 3 out, 8th of 16, dist behind Akavit (10-12) at Wetherby 2m mdn (5) hvy in Nov.
Brandon Castle 9-2 (9-1) Keen tracked leader, joined leader 5f out, ridden 2f out, faded inside final furlong, 4th of 6, 8 1/4l behind Bayan Kasirga (8-9) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (4) pol in Mar.
Moojaned (IRE) 10-1 (9-6) Led, headed 3f out, weakened 2f out, last of 7, 35 1/4l behind Force Of Destiny (9-6) at Lingfield 2m hcp (5) pol in Apr.
Allnecessaryforce (FR) 22-1 (11-8) Held up in rear, headway after 8th, one pace and beaten 3 out, 6th of 15, 16 1/4l behind Kublai (11-12) at Ludlow 2m 5f hcp (4) gs in Nov.
