held up in last trio, headway over 2f out, squeezed through into 2nd inside final furlong, kept on
steadied start, held up in rear, plugged on inside final furlong, no threat
tracked leaders on inside, led entering final furlong, soon hung left to far rail, kept on under pressure
slowly into stride, held up in last pair, never involved
tracked leaders on outside, pushed along 3f out, weakened over 2f out
led briefly, chased leading pair, led over 2f out, ridden and headed entering final furlong, tight for room and squeezed up inside final furlong, kept on same pace in 3rd
chased leader until 3f out, weakened over 1f out
soon led, headed over 2f out, chased leaders, keeping on same pace when hampered inside final furlong, weakened
A three-year-old won this last year so the progressive Atlantic Sun, runner-up to Zonderland in a Listed contest at Sandown, has to enter calculations as he may have found the ground too fast and has won on soft. GABRIAL hasn't won since last year's Lincoln but he's run some fine races at all kinds of levels including the very highest grade. He's second top rated behind Chil The Kite but Hughie Morrison's charge, though a very smart performer, doesn't quite have the form of the selection outside of handicap company. The softer the ground the better for Johnny Barnes, who has won twice on very testing going and ran in the Lockinge last time.
Captain Cat (IRE) 33-1 (9-7) Chased leaders, centre, ridden when groups merged over 2f out, weakened inside final furlong, 20th of 28, 8 3/4l behind Portage (9-5) at Ascot 1m hcp (2) sft in Jun.
Chil The Kite 15-2 (9-2) Behind, headway on outside over 1f out, weakened final furlong, 6th of 9, 4 3/4l behind Big Baz (9-2) at Newmarket 1m lst stks (1) sft in Oct.
Gabrial (IRE) 6-1 (9-7) Held up towards rear, headway over 1f out, ridden and kept on inside final furlong, 5th of 10, 3 3/4l behind Mutakayyef (9-7) at York 1m lst stks (1) gs in Jun.
Johnny Barnes (IRE) 22-1 (9-0) Slowly into stride, held up towards rear, some headway near side over 2f out, soon beaten, 10th of 12, 21 1/4l behind Belardo (9-0) at Newbury 1m Grp 1 stks (1) gd in May.
Ocean Tempest 8-1 (8-11) In touch, ridden 2f out, edged right inside final furlong, soon weakened, 8th of 12, 4 1/2l behind Sound Advice (9-1) at Chester 1m hcp (2) gd in May.
Clotilde 13-2 (9-3) In touch in 5th, pushed along and headway over 2f out, ridden and edged left over 1f out, went 2nd inside final furlong, strong challenge close home, just held, 2nd of 13, hd behind Ice Slice (9-3) at Haydock 1m hcp (3) gd in May.
Merry Me (IRE) 12-1 (9-6) Tracked leader, closed to lead over 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 5th of 7, 5 1/4l behind Epsom Icon (8-8) at Epsom 1m 1f Grp 3 fll stks (1) gs in Jun.
Atlantic Sun 7-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, ridden 2f out, stayed on to go 2nd towards finish, 2nd of 5, 2 1/4l behind Zonderland (9-0) at Sandown 1m lst stks (1) gf in May.