led, driven and headed over 3f out, soon beaten
tracked leader, led over 3f out, headed over 2f out, one pace final furlong
steadied at start and held up, headway 3f out, led over 2f out, ridden and edged left approaching final furlong, kept on well
held up towards rear, headway over 2f out, hardridden over 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong
tracked leaders, pushed along over 4f out, effort over 3f out, no impression
towards rear, soon chased along, never a factor
jumped right at start and held up, driven and headway over 2f out, ridden when weakening over 1f out
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
Nonrunner
A really competitive race in prospect for the day's feature. Short list material here looks to be Day Flight, The Geezer, Sergeant Cecil and Kastoria, and the vote goes to the last-named. John Oxx is not known for sending his runners to England for the travel experience and HRH The Aga Khan will be expecting a decent return on his travel expenses here. The mare is lightly raced and may not have stopped improving. By Selkirk, she should handle testing ground well and we know she gets the trip. Already twice placed in Group 2 company, we know she has the class for this and with doubts about the others she is taken to score. Day Flight is an obvious alternative, having proved his wellbeing with a Sandown win on his reappearance. By Sadler's Wells, he will revel in the mud, but the big question is whether he will last home. He has won over 13 furlongs before but has not been tried over this trip and other certain stayers will surely try to expose any doubts about his stamina. The Geezer will have no trouble on that score but cannot be put up here due to the dismal run of form for Godolphin thus far, while Ebor winner Sergeant Cecil returns to the course and distance over which he won that famed handicap. He has proved that Group company is not beyond him, but the ground is not certain to suit him and although he should go well, he may have to give best here to Irish raider Kastoria.
Cherry Mix (FR) 7-2 (9-4) Mid-division, ridden to challenge 3f out, never threatened, 7th of 10, 10l behind Oracle West (8-11) at Nad Al Sheba 1m 4f Grp 3 (A) gd in Mar.
Orcadian 10-1 (9-0) Soon led, hung right from over 7f out, reluctant to race and headed 5f out, rallied to lead 2f out, headed inside final furlong, 2nd of 5, 1/2l behind The Whistling Teal (9-0) at Chester 1m 5f Grp 3 (1) gs.
Percussionist (IRE) 12-1 (9-0) Held up mid-division, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out, 12th of 17, well behind Westerner (9-2) at York 2m 4f Grp 1 (1) gf in Jun.
Sergeant Cecil 9-1 (8-12) Settled in rear, headway over 2f out, stayed on well from over 1f out, not reach leaders, 4th of 11, 3 1/2l behind Mubtaker (9-1) at Newbury 1m 4f Grp 3 (1) gd in Apr.
The Geezer (9-2) Mid-division, headway over 4f out, ran on until no extra inside final furlong, 4th of 7, 3l behind Shamdala (8-13) at Longchamp 1m 7f 3yo Grp 2 (1) sft in Oct.
Winged d'Argent (IRE) 25-1 (9-5) Prominent, ridden 4f out, no extra towards finish, 5th of 17, 2l behind Admiral (8-1) at Chester 2m 3f hcap (2) gf.
Kastoria (IRE) 1-2fav (9-1) Tracked leaders in 5th, improved into 4th 4f out, 3rd over 2f out, led 1 1/2f out, kept on well under pressure final furlong, won at Navan 1m 5f lst stk (1) gf in Apr beating Virginia Woolf (8-12) by 1l, 7 ran.
Collier Hill 22-1 (8-11) Close up, challenged 3f out, kept on well, no chance with winner, 2nd of 14, 4 1/2l behind Heart's Cry (8-11) at Nad Al Sheba 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) std in Mar.
Day Flight 10-3 (9-3) Held up in touch, headway from 2f out, closed on leader entering final furlong, led final 150 yards, stayed on well, won at Sandown 1m 2f Grp 3 (1) gd in Apr beating Notable Guest (9-3) by 1l, 10 ran.
Art Eyes (USA) 11-4 (8-0) Tracked leader, led over 5f out, ridden and headed over 2f out, weakened over 1f out, 6th of 9, 23l behind Cover Up (9-0) at Newmarket 2m Grp 3 (1) gs in Oct.
