raced wide, keen, close up, ridden and weakened over 1f out
dwelt, towards rear, headway on inner over 1f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, ran on
headway to lead 6f out, ridden and headed entering final 2f, weakened final furlong
led 2f, led again entering final 2f, ridden and joined approaching final furlong, headed inside final furlong, kept on
tracked leader 1f, close up, ridden 2f out, weakened inside final furlong
held up, ridden and headway approaching final furlong, kept on one pace
keen close up, ridden and headway to join leader approaching final furlong, not quicken inside final furlong
steadied start, keen in rear, weakened over 1f out
keen, in touch, ridden over 2f out, headway over 1f out, one pace final furlong
Plenty with claims in this opener including Nubar Boy, who returned from a lengthy absence with a third here last month. Etaad, Skidby Mill and Goolagong Girl are all course winners capable of getting involved and Pyroclastic has been placed off similar marks here the last twice now. HAWK MOTH also has a decent chance of adding to his previous four wins on the all-weather after finishing third over track and trip last time and John Spearing's charge gets the speculative vote in an open affair.
Nubar Boy 25-1 (9-7) Led 1f, tracked leader, ridden to lead over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, kept on, 3rd of 11, 2l behind Pendo (9-7) at Lingfield 1m hcp (6) pol in Dec.
Etaad (USA) 9-4fav (9-3) Held up, pushed along over 2f out, ridden over 1f out, never a factor, 5th of 7, 4 3/4l behind Ziggys Star (9-4) at Chelmsford City 7f hcp (5) pol in Dec.
Ali Bin Nayef 20-1 (8-11) Held up mid-division, ridden over 1f out, faded inside final furlong, 7th of 9, 9 1/2l behind Buckland Beau (9-4) at Wolverhampton 1m 1f hcp (5) pol in Dec.
Skidby Mill (IRE) 9-4 (9-8) Tracked winner, lost place 3f out, left to race alone centre 2f out, soon ridden and no impression, weakened inside final furlong, last of 4, 13l behind Welsh Inlet (9-4) at Brighton 1m hcp fll (5) hvy in Aug.
Goolagong Girl (IRE) 8-1 (9-5) Tracked leader, ridden and switched right over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 8th of 9, 6 3/4l behind Bridge Of Sighs (8-13) at Chelmsford City 1m hcp (6) pol in Dec.
Palace Moon 20-1 (9-7) Dwelt, mid-division, lost place entering final 3f, not clear run 2f out, never a factor, 7th of 11, 5 3/4l behind Pendo (9-7) at Lingfield 1m hcp (6) pol in Dec.
Pyroclastic (IRE) 7-2 (9-7) Steadied start, held up towards rear, headway over 2f out, chased leaders inside final furlong, nearest finish, 3rd of 9, 1 3/4l behind Bookmaker (9-5) at Lingfield 1m hcp (6) pol in Jan.
Not Your Call (IRE) 8-1 (9-3) Always towards rear, last of 11, 9 1/2l behind Encapsulated (9-1) at Lingfield 6f hcp (6) pol in Dec.
Hawk Moth (IRE) 12-1 (9-2) Dwelt in rear, headway entering final furlong, ran on, ran on, not reach leaders, 3rd of 10, 1 1/4l behind Storm Runner (9-0) at Lingfield 1m hcp (6) pol in Dec.