Expert Analysis

Only 5 runners, one of whom had no chance and another of whom failed to complete, but it probably represents smart form from the other 3 (all from the Gordon Elliott stable) who fought out the finish. The pace was on the steady side on fairly testing going, the on-screen splits of 61.68s for the final 4f prompting a 110.9% finishing speed.

BETTER DAYS AHEAD (c151 here and previously) landed the odds with little to spare, having more to beat than the market implied. He was always close up, went on for sure 4 out and had to be ridden out as the third refused to go away and the second came at him strongly.

STELLAR STORY (c156 here, 133+ previously) ran a fine race under a penalty and has the ability to go close in the Brown Advisory for all that he still looked novicey at times, travelling comfortably held up, awkward at a couple, but knuckling down well when finally shaken up between the last 2 and almost getting there. His defeat of The Jukebox Man and Dancing City in last year’s Albert Bartlett looks better now than it did at the time if anything.

THREE CARD BRAG (c147 here, 150 previously) has plenty of experience over larger obstacles now but that did not stop him from making a howler shortly after halfway, from which he soon recovered, headed again 4 out but there with every chance until no extra on the run-in.

ARCTIC SKUA (c0 here, ? previously)

CHOSEN WITNESS (c? here, 134+ previously) was still going well when blundering/unseating 4 out when in third, too far out to say what would have happened to him, but he might have improved on his pre-race rating at least.