chased leaders to halfway stand side
chased leaders stand side, ridden over 2f out, soon beaten
towards rear stand side, headway over 2f out, ran on final furlong
led far side group, effort over 2f out, never near to challenge
mid-division stand side, driven halfway, ridden over 1f out, stayed on towards finish
held up outside, never a factor
chased leaders stand side, driven and hampered over 2f out, not recovered
prominent for 3f far side
prominent to halfway far side
mid-division stand side, effort over 2f out, no impression
held up stand side, pushed along halfway, ridden over 1f out, stayed on final furlong
in touch stand side, led halfway, ridden over 1f out, kept on gamely final furlong
chased leaders to halfway stand side
chased leaders stand side, ridden 2f out, one pace final furlong
tracked leader stand side, pushed along halfway, ridden over 1f out, no extra final furlong
led stand side group, headed halfway, soon behind
held up stand side, driven halfway, ridden over 1f out, ran on final furlong
prominent stand side, ridden over 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong
Machinist is now 7lbs higher than when landing the Ayr Silver Cup last time and may struggle to follow up and a chance is taken with stablemate Continent, who is better than he showed in the Ayr Gold Cup and is preferred to Mutamared. The last mentioned has hit a rich vein of form of late with recent wins at Newmarket and Salisbury but has been hit hard by the handicapper for those successes so may be best watched now. A 5lb rise for his latest win at Goodwood seems harsh for Beaver Patrol and of more interest may be Gerard Butler's Cyclical, who is less exposed than most of these and entitled to strip fitter for his recent belated reappearance. Night Air looks held off his current mark, while Fantasy Believer is proving to be expensive to follow and needs things to fall right for him. Borderlescott and Obe Gold are others worthy of a mention but preference is for Continent who may be worth another chance on the evidence of his Portland effort and is surely better than he showed at Ayr last time.
Mecca's Mate 3-1 (9-2) Tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, soon one pace, 6th of 8, 2 1/2l behind Slip Dance (8-11) at Hamilton 5f lst fll stk (1) gf in Sept.
Obe Gold 16-1 (9-3) Prominent, ridden to chase winner over 1f out, always held inside final furlong, 2nd of 12, 1 1/2l behind Gimasha (8-7) at Lingfield 6f 3yo hcp (2) gd in Sept.
Connect 50-1 (8-12) Towards rear far side, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, stayed on inside final furlong, 11th of 27, 2 1/2l behind Presto Shinko (9-2) at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd in Sept.
River Falcon 25-1 (8-10) Switched left to race far side group, mid-division, ridden over 2f out, kept on final furlong, 10th of 27, 2 1/2l behind Presto Shinko (9-2) at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd in Sept.
Roman Maze 16-1 (9-2) Raced centre, held up, ridden and headway over 2f out, hung left and every chance over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 5th of 16, 4 1/2l behind Pango (8-5) at Newmarket 7f hcp 0-100 (2) gs in Sept.
Continent 12-1 (8-11) Held up stands' side, ridden 2f out, no impression, 22nd of 27, 10l behind Presto Shinko (9-2) at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd in Sept.
Fantasy Believer 9-2co-fav (9-0) Unruly, stumbled leaving stalls and unseated rider in race won by Jayanjay (8-1) at Epsom 5f hcp 0-100 (2) gs, 11 ran.
Fast Heart 8-1 (9-4) Raced centre, slowly into stride, held up, ridden over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, 9th of 15, 6l behind Treasure Cay (8-11) at Leicester 5f hcp (3) gf in Sept.
Tom Tun 33-1 (9-2) In touch, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 15th of 16, 18l behind Bygone Days (9-2) at Haydock 6f hcp (2) gs in Sept.
Cyclical 22-1 (8-13) Chased leaders, ridden over 1f out, one pace final furlong, 6th of 16, 4 1/2l behind Bygone Days (9-2) at Haydock 6f hcp (2) gs in Sept.
Les Arcs (USA) 10-1 (8-13) Raced stands side, tracked leaders, ridden to challenge 2f out, weakened final furlong, 11th of 18, 4 1/2l behind All Ivory (8-8) at Newmarket 7f hcp (2) gd in Sept.
Borderlescott 7-2 (8-6) Chased leaders, stayed on to take 3rd final furlong, not pace to challenge, 3rd of 12, 1 1/2l behind Gimasha (8-7) at Lingfield 6f 3yo hcp (2) gd in Sept.
Mutamared (USA) 3-1fav (9-3) Mid-division, headway 2f out, ridden to lead just inside final furlong, driven out, won at Salisbury 6f hcp 0-85 (4) gd in Sept beating Goodenough Mover (9-2) by 1l, 13 ran.
Beaver Patrol (IRE) 6-1fav (9-2) Raced far side, in touch, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on well, won at Goodwood 6f hcp (4) gf in Sept beating Swinbrook (8-4) by a nk, 20 ran.
Bo McGinty (IRE) 16-1 (9-6) Chased leaders stand side group, weakened over 1f out, 18th of 28, 9l behind Machinist (9-0) at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd in Sept.
Desert Lord 50-1 (8-12) In touch, lost place halfway, stayed on inside final furlong, 6th of 17, 3l behind Green Manalishi (9-2) at Haydock 5f hcp (2) gs in Sept.
Rising Shadow (IRE) 12-1 (8-6) Slowly into stride, behind, ridden and headway over 1f out, ran on, nearest at finish, 5th of 16, 4l behind Bygone Days (9-2) at Haydock 6f hcp (2) gs in Sept.
Machinist (IRE) 12-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders far side group, ridden to lead approaching final furlong, ran on well, won at Ayr 6f hcp (2) gd in Sept beating Roman Maze (9-10) by 1l, 28 ran.
Night Air (IRE) 9-2fav (9-9) Held up in rear, ridden over 2f out, some late headway final furlong, never in contention, 11th of 15, 5l behind Appalachian Trail (9-6) at Newbury 7f hcp (2) gf in Aug.
Look Here's Carol (IRE) 22-1 (8-9) Always towards rear, 13th of 16, 12l behind Bygone Days (9-2) at Haydock 6f hcp (2) gs in Sept.
