raced wide in touch, headway to lead after 2f, headed over 6f out, pushed along and weakened over 1f out
towards rear, wide and headway over 2f out, led entering final final 2f, ridden and ran on
towards rear, ridden 2f out, kept on inside final furlong, never nearer
took keen hold, pressed leader, lost place 8f out, headway over 3f out, ridden 2f out, weakened inside final furlong
keen raced wide, in touch, headway to track leaders 8f out, led over 6f out, ridden and headed entering final furlong, soon weakened
tracked leaders, lost place over 2f out, switched right over 1f out, ridden and kept on inside final furlong
steadied start, in rear, pushed along 2f out, never on terms
led 2f, tracked leader, ridden and every chance entering final furlong, stayed on one pace
Hooflepuff won this back in 2020 while Hooves Like Jagger landed last year’s renewal off a similar mark. Trusty Scout’s earlier win came in a classified race here while Johnny Boom is upped in distance but Crystal Guard can figure again having won at Newcastle last time. STARFIGHTER scored over course and distance in December and ran well again in a higher grade contest subsequently - he gets another chance back at this level.
Hooflepuff (IRE) 17-2 (9-12) Held up in mid-division, pushed along out very wide rounding home turn, no extra from over 1f out, 8th of 13, 9 1/4l behind Dream Harder (9-12) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp (5) pol in Dec.
Johnny Boom (IRE) 9-2 (9-4) Held up towards rear, headway when not clear run well over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, went 2nd towards finish, no impression on winner, 2nd of 11, 4 1/4l behind War In Heaven (9-12) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp (5) pol in Jan.
Starfighter 11-2 (9-8) Mid-division on inside, pushed along over 2f out, ridden and headway on inside over 1f out, not clear run and switched right final 100 yards, no great headway when in the clear, 6th of 10, 2 3/4l behind Theonlywayiswessex (9-4) at Lingfield 1m 4f hcp (5) pol in Jan.
Hooves Like Jagger (IRE) 6-4fav (9-10) In touch, headway 9f out to track winner, ridden and joined winner over 1f out, ran on, just held, 2nd of 8, shd behind Bascinet (9-2) at Chelmsford City 1m 5f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Uther Pendragon (IRE) 22-1 (9-9) Mid-division, not clear run well over 1f out, kept on final furlong, never dangerous, 6th of 12, 4 3/4l behind Bluenose Belle (10-0) at Kempton 1m 3f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Crystal Guard (IRE) 13-2 (9-5) Tracked leaders, went 2nd inside final 2f, strong challenge inside final furlong, led on line, gamely, won at Newcastle 1m 4f hcp (6) pol in Jan beating Riggsby (9-9) by ns, 11 ran.
Trusty Scout (IRE) 3-1jfav (9-2) Raced keenly towards rear, headway towards inside over 1f out, stayed on under pressure inside final furlong, never going pace to reach leaders, 4th of 11, 1 3/4l behind Cicely (9-9) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Testing Faith 40-1 (8-8) Tracked leaders, ridden and weakened gradually from 3f out, 6th of 8, 6 1/2l behind Haku (9-12) at Wolverhampton 1m 4f hcp (5) pol in Dec.