awkward leaving stalls, held up, headway on inside over 1f out, led inside final furlong, hung right near finish
slowly into stride, held up, ridden 2f out, switched right, headway over 1f out, ran on
led, ridden over 2f out, headed inside, kept on
tracked leader, ridden over 1f out, close up, no extra close home
tracked leaders, ridden to join leaders over 1f out, not clear run, switched left, not quicken
held up, headway 5f out, ridden over 2f out, weakened
Foreign Language gets the confident vote in the finale with Just Bond and Top Mark rating the main dangers. The selection won a maiden in good style last time out when beating Chia. He enters handicaps off what looks a fair mark and under conditions that suit and with more improvement likely he is hard to oppose. Just Bond rates the main danger on his latest second to Magical Music but he will do well to give weight and a beating to the unexposed selection and he is taken on with this in mind. Top Mark won a claimer in good style last time when beating North Walk but this looks tougher and he will need to improve to win off this higher mark. Northern Desert looks weighted up to his best and for the winner we are happy to return to Foreign Language.
Just Bond (IRE) 10-11fav (8-12) Raced keenly, led, ridden over 1f out, hung right inside final furlong, soon headed, held final strides, 2nd of 5, nk behind Magical Music (9-8) at W'hampton 1m 1f hcp 0-75 (5) pol in Dec.
Northern Desert (IRE) 10-1 (8-4) Chased leaders, ridden to challenge over 2f out, weakened final furlong, 7th of 12, 3l behind Happy as Larry (9-1) at Lingfield 1m hcp 0-85 (4) pol in Dec.
Top Mark 9-2 (9-8) Chased leaders, led over 1f out, kept on, won at W'hampton 1m 1f clm (5) pol in Dec beating North Walk (9-8) by 1/2l, 13 ran.
Foreign Language (USA) 3-1 (8-5) In touch, ridden to lead over 1f out, ran on well, won at W'hampton 1m 1f mdn stk (5) pol in Dec beating Chia (8-12) by 4l, 12 ran.
Linda's Colin (IRE) 4-1 (9-4) Held up, effort on outside 2f out, hung left from over 1f out, kept on, 3rd of 7, nk behind Blackmail (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 2f clm (6) pol in Dec.
Goose Chase 16-1 (9-4) Chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, soon outpaced, kept on final furlong, 6th of 13, 3 1/2l behind Top Mark (9-8) at W'hampton 1m 1f clm (5) pol in Dec.