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| Horse | Draw
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|---|
| Cobo Bay: Won first timeout last season and has won on good to soft and soft ground. Appears best round a bend and still quite high in the weights. | 1
|
| Zaahid: Useful handicapper at best and has winning form on a straight track. He has won over a mile but appears happiest at seven-furlongs. Held by Don’t Panic on their running at this meeting last year. | 2
|
| Flipando: Has really found his form again on the all-weather. Unfortunatley he will be missing his recent partner Mr. Spencer. Flipando has a 4lb higher turf mark than his last run at Doncaster, and is another one who appears to enjoy scooting round a bend. | 3
|
| Dream Lodge: Ran away with a Conditons Stakes last July and still fighting the handicapper. No real form in similar Handicaps to this; however, he has been gelded over the winter and subject of an upbeat report from his trainer.. | 4
|
| Benandonner: Second to Don’t Panic in the Spring Mile here last season and 7lb better off for a four-length beating. Subsequently ran a blinder off a 2lb higher mark in the Newbury Spring Cup. Also ran well in the early part of 2007. Ran encouragingly over an inadequate distance at Wolverhampton recently, which will have put the edge on him. Acts on any ground conditions bar etremes | 5
|
| Blythe Knight: Winner in 2006 and finished second last year. Will be ridden by a competent 5lb claimer and had a good blow-out at Kempton Park last week. Should go well, though some rain would not go amiss. | 6
|
| Eva's Request: Despite a couple of months in Dubai, her trainer reports she is still quite woolly in her coat. However, she is reported on good terms with herself and has been working well since her return to the UK. | 7
|
| Bolodenka: Useful dual-purpose performer. Won once last season on heavy ground at Ayr and may find a few of these with too much speed. | 8
|
| Expresso Star: Made great strides last autumn, winning his last three races, All those came on good to soft or softer and connections will be praying for some rain. Looks to possess the ability to prove much better than a handicapper and has been heavily backed. Trainer believes he is classy enough to overcome his inexperience in a big field. The runners look sure to split into two groups which should makelife easier. Reported to have galloped well with Charm School and Transcend recently. The latter spent most of last season leading Raven’s Pass in his work at home. | 9
|
| Whistledownwind: Looked set for a good season when second to Centennial in the Classic Trial at Sandown Park last April. Unfortunatley things did not go as expected and his first glimpse of form came after he had been transferred to Jeremy Noseda. Looks fairly handicapped on his best form though may prefer another furlong or two. Jeremy reported recently, “If he got a fast pace and the race was run on soft ground, he’d be capable of running solidly at Doncaster.” | 10
|
| Ace Of Hearts: Grand old campaigner and has a serious chance of reversing recent form with Flipando at the revised weights. May be at his very best going round a bend these days. | 11
|
| Lady Deauville: Carries top-weight following a cracking 2008 campaign. All her wins last season came on good to soft through to heavy ground. She appears best over ten-furlongs round a bend. | 12
|
| Royal Power: Has been running in Dubai and his best run came over seven-furlongs when fourth to Warsaw. Third in the Hunt Cup last season a head behind Docofthebay, he is 4lb worse off now. | 13
|
| European Dream: Capable dual-purpose horse. Has not won on the flat since July 2007 and still on the same mark as he was then. Effective on good through to soft ground. | 14
|
| Swop: Finished third in the 2008 Cambridgeshire having been given a less than inspired ride. Sent to Dubai this winter, he won his last race cleverly, having taken time to get through the wall of horses in front of him. This appears something of an afterthought and I feel he will prove more effective over nine or ten furlongs. | 15
|
| Don’t Panic: Bolted up in the Spring Mile last season and followed up with two good efforts in Listed company. Refused to race on his last run but is reported to be working well at home. Has his share of weight, and is another who would enjoy some cut underfoot. His trainer reported recently, “Don’t Panic is very well in himself and has been working nicely. We have also done a lot of work with him in the stalls. He does like a bit of juice in the ground, so we don’t mind the forecast rain, but I do feel he has maybe got to carry a pound or two too much.” | 16
|
| Huzzah: Game sort who races close behind the pace. Goes well on a straight track. Although he is high enough in the weights, he should have improved enough over the winter to be a serious player. Ran a blinder behind Virtual on his last but one start in 2008 and that fellow is expected to make up into a Group performer this season. | 17
|
| Docofthebay: Has not been in the best of form for sometime; however, showed a little more dash on his second start in Dubai and the Winter Derby last week. His best form has come in handicaps such as this, on good or good to firm ground. Second in the Hunt Cup last year, he is 6lb lower and Joe Fanning looks a good booking. | 18
|
| Charm School: This fellow look destined for the top when running away with a maiden here last April. Subsequently entered for the St James Palace Stakes, he failed to come up to that level. Nevertheless, he found his form again at the end of the season. He ran a blinder here in November, finishing third behind Invincible Force, having endured a nightmare run. Handles big fields and is well-handicapped on his best form. | 19
|
| Mia's Boy: Had an excellent time in 2008, winning five races. 6lb higher than his highest winning mark and appears happiest in smaller fields. Has won on good to firm through to soft. | 20
|
| Philario: Yet to win over further than six-furlongs and very best form has come on the all-weather. Only one career run (down then field), in a Handicap. Front-runner and drawn high, as are six of the first ten (fifteen & above) in the betting. | 21
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| Titan Triumph: Vastly improved performer on the all-weather and connections will be happy if the ground stays good or good to firm. All his wins have come round a bend and may be at his best over seven-furlongs on turf. | 22
|
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