A tough race to call with a few having won last time out and an abnormal number dropping back down to a mile after not quite getting trips over a little longer distance. Some have decent past form at this mile trip, others don't. There are a few possibly unexposed 3 year olds, most interesting is an almost complete lack of anecdotal Course form.

 

So quite a long list emerged and from those we really need to see Never Back Down break on terms to see what ability remains (possibly one to ping the "in running" button if it breaks within 5 lengths of the field).. Will Be King is a Distance winner but the handicapper looks to be in charge and may want better Going. 

 

A pair that may now need a bit of slack from the handicapper after some nice form are Hisnameis McDevitt who has jumped from 58 to 71 and this 3 year old is also back in trip to 1 mile. Sasta has gone up 6lbs for a win last time at Cork over 10 furlongs and looked like that was optimum trip, Bardo Continguo has still to find it's best trip and they have tried from 7 furlongs to 10 furlongs without yet opening the door, he is one I see as the biggest danger to the selections.

 

It's a tricky little contest so let's have a bash with a couple of Trackers...CASTLETOWNSHEND gained a long overdue first win last time and gets just a 4lbs penalty. It had been knocking on the door and has run well off this revised mark in the past. I can't see any reason why if repeating recent form it won't go very close off this revised mark. ULTRA PRIDE is drawn in 17, drops to 1 mile having raced prominently to this point and just faded several times, clearly has ability and will handle the Going.