with leaders, ridden 2f out, stayed on same pace
slowly into stride, outpaced, headway final furlong, never nearer
led, headed just inside final furlong, soon weakened
with leaders, ridden and every chance over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
slowly into stride, behind, headway on inside 2f out, soon ridden, ran on to lead towards finish
chased leaders, ridden over 3f out, stayed on
always prominent, ridden over 2f out, led just inside final furlong, headed towards finish
raced wide, with leaders until halfway
with leaders, ridden well over 2f out, no impression inside final furlong
A truly uninspiring affair to get proceedings under way can go to Golden Bounty ahead of Heathyardsblessing and Fizzy Lizzy. Any semblance of good recent form is thin on the ground here with Golden Bounty's third to Miss Adelaide here on 31 December standing out. Successful off a mark of 97 in a conditions race at Newbury two years ago when with Richard Hannon, the son of Bahamian Bounty has plummeted down the ratings to a mark some 40lb lower. That latest effort was his best for some time, and a repeat should be good enough against this lot. Heathyardsblessing is even better treated compared to his old form on turf but he has failed to score since 1999, and a bigger danger may be Fizzy Lizzy who won a poor claimer at Carlisle last July but who has been well beaten in two subsequent starts. However, her stable is in a bit of form and she is related to another late maturing sort, Chairman Bobby. Golden Bounty it is who is saddled with the vote.