| Course: NEWMARKET | Race date:03/05/08 | Race time:5:45 | Runners:11 |
| Race distance:1m4f | Going:Good | Winners time:2m 34.38s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajaan | Ted Durcan | H R A Cecil | 1 | 8-10 | 4 | 0 | 89 | 7/1 | 3.6 | 3.06 | 2.41 | 1.01 | 1 | |
| Camps Bay | Jim Crowley | Mrs A J Perrett | 10 | 8-13 | 4 | 0 | 92 | 13/2 | 4.4 | 2.92 | 1.07 | 1.01 | 2 | hd |
| Silver Suitor | T Quinn | D R C Elsworth | 7 | 8-8 | 4 | 0 | 87 | 5/1 | 3.3 | 2.55 | 1.74 | 1.01 | 3 | 2 |
| Rayhani | Martin Dwyer | M P Tregoning | 9 | 9-2 | 5 | 0 | 95 | 7/1 | 4.4 | 3.02 | 2.19 | 1.21 | 4 | 4½ |
| Bid For Glory | Darryll Holland | H J Collingridge | 4 | 9-4 | 4 | 0 | 97 | 8/1 | 4.23 | 3.54 | 3.15 | 3 | 5 | 3½ |
| Pentatonic | Jamie Spencer | L M Cumani | 3 | 9-1 | 5 | 0 | 94 | 5/1 | 3.65 | 2.49 | 2.24 | 2.2 | 6 | 6 |
| Generous Jem | John Egan | G G Margarson | 11 | 8-7 | 5 | 0 | 86 | 20/1 | 10.02 | 7.56 | 5.25 | 6 | 7 | 17 |
| Tartan Tie | Joe Fanning | M Johnston | 5 | 8-9 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 14/1 | 11.5 | 6.88 | 5 | 4.4 | 8 | nk |
| Invasian | Micky Fenton | P W D´Arcy | 6 | 8-11 | 7 | 0 | 90 | 28/1 | 12.39 | 9.9 | 4.82 | 7.4 | 9 | 7 |
| Maid To Believe | Eddie Ahern | J L Dunlop | 12 | 9-4 | 4 | 0 | 97 | 14/1 | 7 | 5.61 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 37 |
| Celtic Spirit | Ryan Moore | G L Moore | 8 | 9-2 | 5 | 0 | 95 | 4/1F | 2.51 | 2.24 | 1.9 | 2.1 | 11 | 22 |
Ajaan held up, headway over 3f out, led over 1f out, soon swerved right, headed and hung left inside final furlong, soon swerved right and barged rival, ran on to lead post
Camps Bay held up, headway over 3f out, ridden and hung left 1f out, soon led, hung right inside final furlong, soon swerved left and barged rival, headed post
Silver Suitor tracked leaders, led over 2f out, headed over 1f out, still every chance when hampered 1f out, stayed on towards finish
Rayhani prominent, ridden over 2f out, weakened final furlong
Bid For Glory held up, headway over 2f out, ridden and weakened over 1f out
Pentatonic held up, headway over 2f out, ridden and weakened over 1f out
Generous Jem held up in touch, ridden over 2f out, soon weakened
Tartan Tie chased leader, hung right from halfway, ridden to lead over 3f out, headed and weakened over 2f out
Invasian led over 8f, soon weakened
Maid To Believe prominent, reminders halfway, weakened over 3f out
Celtic Spirit held up, weakened well over 3f out
AJAAN is clearly not straightforward but improved last year for the addition of blinkers. He produced a fine turn of foot to come from the back on the stands' wing of the pack and looked like drawing away into the final furlong, only to swerve badly right into the first piece of serious interference that ended Silver Suitor's chance. A switch of the whip caused him to hang left, then he again dived right with the whip switched. With Camps Bay edging left, there was a collision that did neither horse any favours.
Camps Bay, the bigger horse, recovered to have his neck in front, but Ajaan ran him down in the final strides, strongly suggesting that if he had run straight and true, he would have been a clear-cut winner. He has a history of hanging when in front, so is going to test the skill of his jockey. The good thing is that this narrow win can hardly hit him in the ratings and he enjoys faster ground.
Camps Bay put in a long, strong run down the midtrack outside of the pack after they grouped in the middle of the course off the home bend. He enjoys a strong end-to-end gallop and his stable has done well with similar middle-distance sorts.
The rest came home strung out offthe fierce pace, with Rayhani, who looks an out-and-out galloper, plugging on better than the rest while still looking in the grip of the handicapper.
Pentatonic can progress for this seasonal return, momentarily looking like getting involved on the midtrack outside inside the final 3f before weakening.
Generous Jem ran considerably better than the bare form, as she was allowed to coast the final furlong when beaten, still having been in the firing line going into the final 2f.
Maid To Believe weakened worryingly quickly after travelling well past halfway, as did Celtic Spirit, who had made a good impression on the all-weather recently. (BJ)
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