| Course: ASCOT | Race date:10/05/08 | Race time:2:20 | Runners:22 |
| Race distance:7f | Going:Good To Firm | Winners time:1m 26.08s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zaahid | R Hills | B W Hills | 14 | 8-11 | 4 | 0 | 92 | 5/1J | 4.57 | 2.82 | 2.12 | 1.01 | 1 | |
| Al Khaleej | Ryan Moore | E A L Dunlop | 13 | 9-3 | 4 | 0 | 98 | 5/1J | 2.29 | 2.11 | 1.71 | 1.01 | 2 | nk |
| King Of Dixie | Paul Doe | W J Knight | 10 | 9-0 | 4 | 0 | 95 | 8/1 | 4.1 | 3.17 | 2.43 | 1.01 | 3 | 1¼ |
| We'll Come | Darryll Holland | M A Jarvis | 9 | 8-12 | 4 | 0 | 93 | 7/1 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 4 | 1¼ |
| Guilded Warrior | L P Keniry | W S Kittow | 4 | 8-6 | 5 | 0 | 87 | 33/1 | 9.8 | 8.5 | 7 | 2.22 | 5 | 1¼ |
| Count Ceprano | David Probert | M D I Usher | 12 | 7-6 | 4 | 0 | 80 | 66/1 | 30 | 19.68 | 10.42 | 20 | 6 | nk |
| Fishforcompliments | Richard Hughes | R A Fahey | 16 | 9-2 | 4 | 0 | 97 | 14/1 | 6.95 | 5.62 | 5 | 5 | 7 | shd |
| Skhilling Spirit | Neil Brown | T D Barron | 6 | 8-7 | 5 | 0 | 93 | 25/1 | 9.2 | 7.13 | 5.66 | 3 | 8 | nk |
| Purus | Luke Morris | R A Teal | 3 | 8-3 | 6 | 0 | 87 | 50/1 | 27.78 | 16.12 | 12 | 1.74 | 9 | ½ |
| Mine | Kerrin McEvoy | J D Bethell | 20 | 9-5 | 10 | 0 | 100 | 16/1 | 6.6 | 5.58 | 4.2 | 4 | 10 | 1¼ |
| South Cape | Matthew Davies | M R Channon | 8 | 8-1 | 5 | 0 | 89 | 20/1 | 8.6 | 7.43 | 6 | 4 | 11 | ½ |
| Humungous | Ian Mongan | C R Egerton | 18 | 9-5 | 5 | 0 | 100 | 10/1 | 10.42 | 4.5 | 3.25 | 2.6 | 12 | 4 |
| Middlemarch | Nicky Mackay | J S Goldie | 5 | 7-13 | 8 | 0 | 80 | 50/1 | 18.5 | 13.04 | 9.93 | 0 | 13 | nk |
| Trafalgar Square | David Kinsella | M J Attwater | 7 | 8-5 | 6 | 0 | 86 | 20/1 | 10 | 8.1 | 6.16 | 8.4 | 14 | nk |
| Presumptive | Steve Drowne | R Charlton | 15 | 9-1 | 8 | 0 | 96 | 12/1 | 4.4 | 3.84 | 3.13 | 4 | 15 | ½ |
| Orchard Supreme | Richard Smith | R Hannon | 11 | 8-4 | 5 | 0 | 85 | 33/1 | 10.5 | 8.43 | 6.16 | 2 | 16 | ¾ |
| Giganticus | T Quinn | B W Hills | 19 | 9-6 | 5 | 0 | 101 | 16/1 | 5.6 | 4.98 | 3.63 | 4.1 | 17 | 1½ |
| Captain Jacksparra | Stephen Donohoe | K A Ryan | 2 | 8-7 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 33/1 | 14.89 | 11.89 | 7.74 | 0 | 18 | 1¼ |
| Salient | Kirsty Milczarek | M J Attwater | 21 | 8-4 | 4 | 0 | 88 | 25/1 | 9.6 | 7.88 | 6.55 | 4.3 | 19 | 1¾ |
| Binanti | Francis Norton | P R Chamings | 26 | 8-12 | 8 | 0 | 93 | 50/1 | 20 | 13.59 | 6.55 | 0 | 20 | 2¾ |
| Dabbers Ridge | Michael Hills | B W Hills | 22 | 9-7 | 6 | 0 | 102 | 12/1 | 6.6 | 4.77 | 2.39 | 3.2 | 21 | 1 |
| Laa Rayb | Robert Winston | M Johnston | 25 | 9-4 | 4 | 0 | 99 | 12/1 | 4.87 | 4.24 | 3.65 | 20 | UR |
Zaahid mid-division of centre group, headway 2f out, soon ridden, led inside final furlong, hard pressed but kept on gamely, driven out
Al Khaleej held up towards rear in centre, headway with winner 2f out, soon ridden, every chance entering final furlong, kept on but always just held
King Of Dixie reared leaving stalls, soon recovered to chase leaders in centre, ridden to lead over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, kept on
We´ll Come reared leaving stalls, held up behind on stands' side, ridden and headway over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, nearest finish
Guilded Warrior stumbled leaving stalls, soon chasing leader on stands' side, ridden and every chance over 1f out, kept on same pace final furlong
Count Ceprano chased leaders in centre, ridden over 2f out, kept on final furlong
Fishforcompliments held up behind in centre, ridden and headway from over 1f out, ran on inside final furlong, not reach leaders
Skhilling Spirit in touch on stands' side, headway 2f out, ridden and every chance over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong
Purus chased leaders on stands' side, ridden over 2f out, kept on same pace final furlong
Mine held up behind in centre, stayed on from over 1f out, never dangerous
South Cape led centre group, ridden and headed over 2f out, kept on same pace
Humungous behind on stands' side, struggling halfway, some late progress, never a factor
Middlemarch chased leaders on stands' side until weakened over 1f out
Trafalgar Square mainly towards rear on stands' side
Presumptive never better than mid-division of centre group
Orchard Supreme chased leaders in centre, led over 2f out, headed over 1f out, weakened
Giganticus pulled hard, towards rear in centre, headway over 2f out, soon ridden, weakened over 1f out
Captain Jacksparra overall leader on stands' side until over 2f out, soon weakened
Salient never better than mid-division of centre group
Binanti hampered by loose horse leaving stalls, towards rear in centre, headway 3f out, soon ridden, weakened well over 1f out
Dabbers Ridge held up towards rear in centre, headway 3f out, effort 2f out, soon weakened
Laa Rayb unseated rider leaving stalls
This was run just under two tenths of a second outside the track record on this newish course.
They split into two groups with eight staying stands' side but the principals coming from the midtrack group, which looked to be a couple of lengths off the pace set by Captain Jacksparra against the stands rail.
It was a clean run affair with no hard-luck stories and the way a quartet of unexposed four-year-olds dominated the finish (they have won only four of the last ten renewals although they have always been knocking on the door in the places) suggests they should be followed through the summer in similar big handicaps.
ZAAHID had been given a lot to do in the Newbury Spring Cup when third on slower ground and that form had been franked by the fourth Proponent at Newmarket.
Zaahid still got in off that mark and while he has done his winning with plenty of juice in the ground, he coped with these faster conditions to outbattle Al Khaleej as the pair came nicely clear through the final furlong. He remains progressive and has not been hit by the handicapper.
Al Khaleej is similarly lightly raced but has been hit by the handicapper. He did really well to nearly defy his 9lb rise for his recent AW win. That looked to make the difference and any further rise will restrict him to the top handicaps, exposed to other improvers lurking down the handicap.
While the big two were covered up on the stands' side of the midtrack pack, King of Dixie chased the pace and for a moment going to the final furlong, he looked to have taken a winning lead. He was most inexperienced of the front four and has run a fine race, suggesting there is further improvement to come.
We'll Come could well improve past the first three as not only was this his first run of the season, but he also the ground was probably as fast as he would need. He was switched to race stands' side, well off the pace. He travelled smoothly, almost overconfidently, but when asked did not respond instantly, not surprisingly for a mile winner on quick ground, but continued to edge closer, racing with an ungainly head carriage. On the face of it, this performance cried out the Royal Hunt Cup and there may not be many better trial performances for it.
Count Ceptrano has been running over avariety of trips and despite winning at 6f as well, he ran here as if he needed the full mile as he was running on when it was all over.
Fishforcompliments was wearing cheekpieces for the first time and again hinted he would be winning a decent handicap this summer. The problem is he is trying a variety of trips, not getting 9f last time but finding this 7f on fast ground too sharp for him.
Skhilling Spirit, second in this off a lower mark last year, found the drying ground against him after moving up briefly in the stands' side group into the last 2f.Purus took over under the stands' rail into the final furlong but could never land a blow, effectively racing alone. It was still a decent effort at this level and he probably prefers a bit more cut in the ground.
Mine continues to inspire at the advanced age of ten but the handicapper is not keen to release him from a three-figure mark. On this showing, while he plugged on against the up-and-coming generation, he looks to need easing to have a chance at this level.
South Cape has never threatened in this race previously and after showing pace was again well beaten.
Binanti was hampered by the loose horse out of the stalls but still ran as if in the need of the run as the Buckingham Palace winner of last year could not find his form, although he is another who prefers some juice in the ground.[BJ]
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