dwelt, soon switched left, held up in rear, still going well when badly hampered on inside over 2f out, not recover
behind, headway over 1f out, edged left entering final furlong, stayed on one pace
held up in rear, headway over 2f out, weakened well over 1f out
slowly into stride, mid-division, headway over 2f out, stayed on one pace inside final furlong
led early, prominent, ridden over 2f out, weakened well over 1f out
always prominent, led 3f out, headed 2f out, ridden, edged left and led inside final furlong, ran on
held up in touch, led 2f out, ridden and hung right from over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, ran on
held up in touch, reminders over 4f out, weakened well over 1f out
took keen hold, tracked leader after 1f, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out
held up, headway 2f out, stayed on inside final furlong to take 3rd last strides
held up, always behind
soon led, ridden and headed 3f out, weakening when not much room over 2f out
mid-division, took keen hold, ridden and weakened over 4f out
King's Fable did all of his best work late on when successful here last month and he may be worth trying over this longer trip but Karen George's gelding is far from certain to stay and a safer option looks to be Opera Writer, who gets the vote over Synonymy. The last mentioned showed improved form when chasing home Lupita at Bath recently and has claims on that evidence, if able to reproduce the form back on the Polytrack. Champagne Shadow disappointed last time but has every chance on earlier form in claimers so cannot be discounted, while Still Dreaming is another that is not certain to stay this far and he may be best watched. The vote then goes to Opera Writer who has been running consistently well in similar contests and Reg Hollinshead's gelding gets the vote to gain a deserved success.
King's Fable (USA) 5-1 (9-6) Missed break, ridden along 3f out, headway to lead close home, won at W'hampton 1m 4f hcp 0-65 (6) pol in Mar beating Most Definitely (9-11) by a shd, 8 ran.
Champagne Shadow (IRE) 9-2 (9-7) Held up behind, ridden 3f out, no real progress, never nearer, 7th of 9, 3l behind Grizebeck (9-6) at W'hampton 1m 6f app hcp (6) pol in Mar.
Saloon (USA) 18-1 (9-13) Always in rear, 11th of 14, 37l behind Downhiller (8-8) at Leicester 1m 2f mdn stk (5) sft.
Archimboldo (USA) 33-1 (10-6) Slowly into stride, towards rear, headway 4f out, soon ridden, weakened over 2f out, 7th of 12, 11l behind Dreams Jewel (10-0) at W'hampton 1m 6f amt hcp (5) pol in Mar.
Opera Writer (IRE) 7-2 (9-9) Tracked leader, raced keenly, challenged over 2f out, every chance over 1f out, not quicken inside final furlong, 2nd of 8, 1 1/2l behind Little Richard (9-10) at W'hampton 1m 6f hcp 0-65 (6) pol in Mar.
Synonymy 10-1 (8-8) Tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, kept on but never quite able to mount challenge, 3rd of 10, 2 1/2l behind Lupita (8-1) at Bath 2m 1f hcp 0-75 (5) gd.
Snowberry Hill (USA) 11-1 (9-4) Mid-division, effort over 3f out, no impression, 7th of 15, 16l behind Grizebeck (9-5) at Catterick 2m hcp 0-65 (6) gs.
Right You Are (IRE) 40-1 (10-0) Slowly into stride, in rear, ridden and struggling 4f out, 11th of 12, 40l behind Always Bold (8-4) at W'hampton 1m 4f mdn stk (5) pol in Feb.
Still Dreaming 9-2 (9-1) Tracked leaders, one pace from over 2f out, 3rd of 8, 6l behind Buscador (9-4) at W'hampton 1m 4f hcp 0-60 (6) pol in Mar.
Zeloso 7-2fav (8-4) Mid-division, ridden over 2f out, never on terms, 7th of 10, 6l behind High Frequency (7-11) at Musselburgh 2m app hcp (6) gd in May '06.
Piano Key 11-2 (8-2) In touch, ridden over 2f out, effort over 1f out, no extra and one paced final furlong, 5th of 9, 2 1/2l behind Grizebeck (9-6) at W'hampton 1m 6f app hcp (6) pol in Mar.
Lay The Cash (USA) 33-1 (8-7) Broke well and led briefly, tracked leader, ridden 5f out, switched right over 1f out, every chance and weakened final furlong, 6th of 11, 6l behind Lough Beg (9-0) at Kempton 1m 4f hcp (6) pol.
Berbatov 12-1 (8-2) Held up in rear, ridden and weakened over 2f out, 6th of 10, 13l behind Terminate (8-11) at W'hampton 1m 4f 3yo hcp 0-70 (6) pol in Mar.