| Course: YORK | Race date:14/05/08 | Race time:1:40 | Runners:12 |
| Race distance:1m2½f | Going:Good To Firm | Winners time:2m 10.43s |
| Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Stall | Weight | Age | RPR | OR | Odds | B High | B Ave | B Low | In run | Finished | Dist Behind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folk Opera | L Dettori | Saeed Bin Suroor | 8 | 9-4 | 4 | 0 | 94 | 6/1 | 3.5 | 3.02 | 2 | 1.01 | 1 | |
| Tastahil | R Hills | B W Hills | 10 | 8-7 | 4 | 0 | 83 | 9/2J | 2.72 | 2.34 | 2.08 | 1.01 | 2 | ¾ |
| Supaseus | Steve Drowne | H Morrison | 4 | 9-6 | 5 | 0 | 96 | 9/1 | 3.95 | 3.54 | 3.1 | 1.01 | 3 | shd |
| Smart Instinct | Paul Hanagan | R A Fahey | 2 | 9-3 | 4 | 0 | 93 | 17/2 | 5.4 | 4.07 | 3.2 | 2.86 | 4 | 1¾ |
| King Charles | Jimmy Fortune | E A L Dunlop | 9 | 9-6 | 4 | 0 | 96 | 9/2J | 2.14 | 2.02 | 1.92 | 1.89 | 5 | ½ |
| Impeller | John Egan | Jane Chapple-Hyam | 3 | 9-4 | 9 | 0 | 94 | 16/1 | 12 | 6.23 | 4.7 | 6.6 | 6 | 2 |
| Gulf Express | Ryan Moore | Sir Michael Stoute | 1 | 9-7 | 4 | 0 | 97 | 11/2 | 2.92 | 2.54 | 2 | 2.6 | 7 | ¾ |
| Ladies Best | Jamie Spencer | L M Cumani | 6 | 9-7 | 4 | 0 | 97 | 16/1 | 8 | 6.3 | 2.56 | 2.72 | 8 | nk |
| Blue Spinnaker | Paul Mulrennan | M W Easterby | 12 | 8-8 | 9 | 0 | 84 | 14/1 | 5.9 | 4.35 | 2.44 | 3.65 | 9 | 2 |
| Fort Amhurst | Dale Gibson | M W Easterby | 11 | 8-7 | 4 | 0 | 83 | 100/1 | 90 | 44.16 | 25 | 30 | 10 | ½ |
| Mesbaah | Tony Hamilton | R A Fahey | 5 | 9-1 | 4 | 0 | 91 | 28/1 | 18.5 | 11.05 | 6.2 | 5 | 11 | 2¼ |
| Capable Guest | Chris Catlin | M R Channon | 7 | 9-2 | 6 | 0 | 92 | 18/1 | 7.2 | 5.98 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 12 | 6 |
Folk Opera set steady pace, quickened halfway, pushed along and quickened 3f out, ridden well over 1f out, kept on well final furlong
Tastahil tracked leaders, effort on outer over 3f out, soon pushed along and outpaced over 2f out, ridden and stayed on well final furlong
Supaseus tracked winner, effort over 2f out, soon ridden and every chance until driven inside final furlong and not quicken last 100yds
Smart Instinct tracked leaders, headway on inner over 3f out, ridden 2f out, staying on same pace when not much room inside final furlong
King Charles close up, effort 3f out, soon ridden along and gradually weakened approaching final furlong
Impeller tracked leaders, headway 3f out, ridden along 2f out, driven and weakened over 1f out
Gulf Express dwelt and towards rear, some headway 3f out, soon ridden along and no impression final 2f
Ladies Best held up on inner towards rear, effort and switched right over 2f out, soon ridden, hung left and no impression
Blue Spinnaker held up in touch, headway over 4f out, ridden along over 3f out, soon weakened
Fort Amhurst always in rear
Mesbaah always in rear
Capable Guest always in rear
This was a pretty competitive handicap, but it was largely spoiled, certainly as an accurate form-guide, because of the lack of pace. Dettori, having elected to go to the front on the keen-going FOLK OPERA, then settled his mount in front and got her to switch-off, thereby slowing the tempo. He duly dictated the race, very much as he liked, without being challenged for supremacy up front and his partner, once asked to quicken, did so in grand style, sticking to her task in likeable fashion. A lightly raced filly - this was only her fourth career start - she could be open to further improvement.
Tastahil, who tracked the leaders, found himself unable to quicken when the tempo increased, but he stuck on well inside the last and was slowly cutting back the winner towards the finish; a stronger gallop would surely have suited him, but the same applies to others in this race.
Smart Instinct ran a blinder. Having his first outing of the season, he could have done with a stronger end-to-end gallop, but he held his position well on the inner and was only outpointed entering the last.
King Charles, who had run so well at Newmarket, lacked the pace to pose a real threat here, but he can be largely excused the way the race was run and he is certainly worth another chance in a truly-run race.
Impeller ran a respectable race, but Gulf Express could never get into it, coming from off the pace, and neither could Ladies Best, who was dropped to rear in the early stages and never held out much hope of picking up the leaders. (TO'R)
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