slowly into stride, took keen hold towards rear, ridden and headway on wide outside over 1f out, one pace inside final furlong, never troubled leaders
restless in stalls, led, quickened 3f out, ridden over 1f out, narrowly headed well inside final furlong, rallied gamely to lead again post
held up in mid-division, headway over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
held up last of main group, good headway on wide outside chasing leaders over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
started very slowly and lost 10 lengths, well behind, latched on to rear of field after 3f, pushed along and struggling over 2f out, never on terms
tracked leaders on inside, ridden and went 2nd inside final furlong, soon challenging, led narrowly well inside final furlong, headed post
raced keenly, tracked leaders, ridden over 1f out, weakened well inside final furlong
in touch in 5th on inside, headway on inner over 1f out, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, went 3rd near finish
tracked winner, ridden and every chance over 1f out, lost 2nd inside final furlong, stayed on, lost 3rd near finish
held up towards rear, effort on outside over 1f out, ridden and kept on same pace inside final furlong, never troubled leaders
Plenty with a chance in this including last year’s winner First Mohican, though he has failed to win since. Watersmeet has every chance on his second to Curbyourenthusiasm at Chelmsford when Winning Story unseated. The latter subsequently finished ahead of Wrangler when third over 2m at Kempton. Erhaaf is the least exposed having gone close at Chelmsford on his handicap debut while Novis Adventus dead-heated for first over today’s trip in Qatar and has joined Jeremy Noseda. But ROCK STEADY won over 1m4f in this grade here last Saturday and he’s taken to show further progress over today’s distance, despite a 5lb rise.
First Mohican 10-1 (9-13) Slowly into stride, in rear, ridden over 3f out, headway over 1f out, never dangerous, 6th of 12, 8 1/4l behind Higher Power (9-4) at Kempton 2m hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Barye 33-1 (9-13) Tracked leaders, on inside, ridden over 2f out, weakened from over 1f out, 7th of 12, 12 3/4l behind Higher Power (9-4) at Kempton 2m hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Watersmeet 5-1 (9-8) Tracked leader, led over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, stayed on, 2nd of 6, 1/2l behind Curbyourenthusiasm (10-0) at Chelmsford City 1m 6f hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Novis Adventus (IRE) (9-6) 6th of 12, 3l behind Power Play (9-2) at Doha 1m 1f pol in Mar.
Sunblazer (IRE) 14-1 (9-10) Held up off the pace in last pair, headway on outside over 1f out, edged right and stayed on into 2nd inside final 150 yards, no chance with easy winner, 2nd of 9, 4l behind Prince Of Arran (8-6) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (3) pol in Nov.
Royal Marskell 9-1 (9-11) Tracked leaders, chased leader over 3f out, ridden and every chance from over 2f out, soon edged left, kept on one pace final furlong, 3rd of 6, 4l behind Good Run (9-3) at Newcastle 2m hcp (3) pol in Nov.
Rock Steady (IRE) 11-4 (8-11) Tracked leader, pushed along over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, led inside final furlong, kept on (hand timed), won at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (2) pol in Nov beating Cosmeapolitan (8-12) by 1/2l, 8 ran.
Winning Story 6-1 (8-11) Tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, 3rd over 1f out, edged right, stayed on same pace, 3rd of 12, 4 1/2l behind Higher Power (9-4) at Kempton 2m hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Wrangler 7-1 (8-12) Held up, headway and switched right 2f out, stayed on same pace inside final furlong, 4th of 12, 6 3/4l behind Higher Power (9-4) at Kempton 2m hcp (2) pol in Nov.
Masterpaver 11-2 (9-7) Held up well off the pace in last pair, well behind and struggling final 3f, eased final furlong, 7th of 8, 13 1/4l behind Beardwood (9-5) at Lingfield 1m 2f hcp (3) pol in Nov.
Erhaaf (USA) 7-1 (8-8) In rear, not clear run over 1f out, ridden and headway approaching final furlong, effort between horses when short of room inside final furlong, ran on, 3rd of 8, 3/4l behind Ijmaaly (9-5) at Chelmsford City 1m 2f hcp (2) pol in Nov.
