outpaced early, headway 6f out, ridden 3f out, weakened 2f out
in touch, led on inside over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, clear inside final furlong, eased near finish
soon outpaced, well behind final 4f, tailed off
chased leader, ridden over 3f out, soon weakened
chased leaders, led over 3f out, ridden and headed over 2f out, no chance with winner final furlong
led, headed over 3f out, soon ridden, weakened 2f out
A tight little affair to close the card and it can go to Bold Blade ahead of Gavroche and Boxgrove. The selection was sent off as favourite at Wolverhampton four days ago but had the misfortune to come up against the heavily-gambled on Gavroche who beat him two and a half lengths. On six pound better terms, he will be fancied to reverse that form but there should not be much between them. Boxgrove has been confined to Lingfield in his four starts to date, and ran as though something was amiss last time. Clive Brittain would not be running him if he was not on good terms with himself, and maybe this switch to the slower surface will bring about improvement. St Savarin disappointed when running at Lingfield on Wednesday so might not line up, although he did get into a barging match in the straight on that occasion. Marcus Eile looks the type to progress with racing and do not rule him out of a decent run, while Countrywide Flyer looks to have something to find with that horse based on his Lingfield run in December, although the blinkers that he wore last time are now dispensed with and Jamie Spencer has been booked. Sir Jasper was ebaten favourite over a shorter trip last time, his two career wins having come over seven furlongs at Southwell. He too cannot be ruled out of things. It's a fascinating little race of its kind, and one in which we'll go for Bold Blade.
