went slightly left start, tracked leaders on inside, challenged over 2f out, ridden to lead over 1f out, clear when edged left inside final furlong, ran on well, comfortably
held up in touch, driven and effort to chase leaders over 2f out, soon ridden, stayed on to go 3rd over 1f out, no impression with leading pair final furlong
raced keenly, led after 2f, ridden and headed when edged left over 2f out, soon beaten, weakened over 1f out
held up behind, effort over 2f out, ridden and kept on under pressure from over 1f out, never able to challenge
held up in touch, headway over 3f out, ridden to chase leading pair over 2f out to over 1f out, no extra final furlong
led 2f, tracked leader, led again over 2f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, not quicken final furlong, no chance with winner
held up in rear, ridden and outpaced over 3f out, switched left over 2f out, never on terms
La De Two may be the class act however there is a strong 'home' challenge here and the vote is given to COSMIC SUN ahead of Trip The Light and Emerging Artist. Paul Hanagan plumps for the selection over Trip The Light and this course and distance winner is expected to leave his two runs this year behind him. As a result of those efforts he is down to a mark of 88 and having won here last July off the same mark, on his third start of the season, he is fancied to take a lot of beating. Stablemate Trip The Light continues to perform with credit albeit mainly in claiming grade, so a bigger threat could be Emerging Artist. He ran a fair Chepstow field into the ground from the front and this strong stayer may have been let in lightly off a mark of 86. Prince Of Johanne is consistent and there was plenty of merit in his third to The Galloping Shoe at Newcastle so he is not discounted up in trip, whilst Royal Diamond should appreciate the drop in class having contested the Northumberland Plate last month although there is no proof at the moment that he has trained on. The handicapper has knocked him down by 9lbs since the start of the year however. Crackentorp wasn't disgraced in the same race last time and is respected despite finding it hard to win, whilst La De Two won at 1/5 at Wolverhampton in November. He is bred in the purple and a mark of 97 doesn't look over the top if we consider that he got to within a length of the subsequent Group Two winner Kite Wood when trained by Barry Hills as a two-year-old. A fascinating handicap then where preference is for Cosmic Sun.
La de Two (IRE) 1-5fav (9-3) Slowly into stride, soon in touch, chased leader over 6f out, led on bit 4f out, clear entering final 2f, very easily, won at Wolverhampton 1m 1f mdn stks (5) pol in Nov beating Warren Bank (9-6) by 8l, 13 ran.
Crackentorp 7-1 (8-6) Held up mid-division, pushed along over 4f out, ridden over 3f out, no impression, 12th of 19, 18l behind Overturn (8-7) at Newcastle 2m hcap (2) gf in Jun.
Royal Diamond (IRE) 40-1 (8-7) Tracked winner, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened and hampered, 16th of 19, 32l behind Overturn (8-7) at Newcastle 2m hcap (2) gf in Jun.
Trip The Light 7-4fav (9-13) Tracked leader, led 5f out, headed 2f out, soon ridden, stayed on under pressure final furlong, always held, 2nd of 6, 3/4l behind Lang Shining (9-6) at Chester 1m 2f clm stks (5) gf in Jun.
Cosmic Sun 9-2 (9-4) Held up in rear, driven and headway over 3f out, soon no impression, 7th of 8, 10l behind Dirar (9-7) at Ayr 1m 5f hcp 0-95 (3) gf in Jun.
Emerging Artist (FR) 2-1 (9-12) Made all, ridden 2f out, ran on, won at Chepstow 1m 4f mdn stks (5) gd in Jun beating Never Can Tell (8-2) by 2l, 7 ran.
Prince Of Johanne (IRE) 16-1 (10-0) Held up in rear, headway over 2f out, kept on to take 3rd inside final furlong, 3rd of 8, 4l behind The Galloping Shoe (9-6) at Newcastle 1m 2f hcp 0-85 (4) gf in Jun.
