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Greek Flower was 6 lb out of the weights in the Rockingham handicap and immediately on the backfoot after being slightly hampered coming out of the stalls.
She still had plenty to do approaching the final furlong after racing well off the pace, but she finished with a flourish to grab the runner-up spot, shaping with clear promise behind the enterprisingly ridden winner who had ploughed a lone furrow along the far rail and never really looked like being reeled in.
Greek Flower had also offered plenty of encouragement when runner-up on her reappearance at Down Royal nine days earlier, leaving the impression that she would have been closer with a clear run, and she has clearly returned in excellent order and is one to be positive about.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsThere wasn't anything of the calibre of City of Troy in the field this year but this is a race that should still throw up its fair share of winners, and Bernard Shaw in particular shaped with plenty of promise.
He cost a lofty $1,800,000 as a yearling - has a very smart American pedigree - and he looked badly in need of the experience on his debut (he played up beforehand, too), doing well to finish as close as he did under the circumstances.
Bernard Shaw stumbled at the start, but was soon prominent, and showed clear signs of greenness under pressure, just keeping on at the same pace in the closing stages. He is likely to progress markedly for this initial experience and will likely prove a different proposition next time.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsCrypto Quest was a course-and-distance winner last summer and not for the first time of late attracted support, with Rossa Ryan taking over in the saddle this time having been successful in both his previous rides for the Gemma Tutty stable.
Whilst unable to justify joint-favouritism, Crypto Quest did well under the circumstances having faced a strong headwind throughout and fared best of those on the speed, going with zest in the lead before being headed a furlong out and finishing fourth behind the other joint favourite Minnesota Lad.
Still in his first season for his current yard and having gone close a couple of times already this year, Crypto Quest will remain of interest in ordinary sprint handicaps.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsMajeski Man failed to fire in three starts on the all-weather earlier this year but he ran much better when finishing runner-up on his return to turf at Leicester on Thursday, despite looking a bit rusty on his first start for nearly four months.
Majeski Man was outpaced over a furlong out but he stayed on nicely, shaping well by the end, and was only beaten a length by a rival that had fallen a long way in the weights.
Majeski Man is also lurking on a potentially lenient mark, 4lb lower than the one he defied at Nottingham last year, and with this outing under his belt he should be cherry-ripe next time.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsAssail shaped well when fourth on his reappearance at Kempton on Wednesday and looks capable of raising his game when faced with a stronger gallop or a longer trip.
Assail made good headway from the rear to fare best of those held up in a contest dominated by those who raced handily, and he would have finished closer had he not been short of room entering the final furlong.
He had also produced an encouraging effort when runner-up to a subsequent winner over a furlong-longer trip on his handicap debut at Southwell in January, and he should be suited by going back up in distance.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsEvidently a very late developer, Polemon began his career in bumpers for Archie Watson despite being by Frankel and from a top Juddmonte family. He’s still a maiden at the age of five, therefore, but showed promise on the all-weather last year and caught the eye under an inexperienced claimer in this apprentice handicap.
Held up, Polemon was shaken up out wide in the straight before making headway a furlong out and ran on after edging left to take fifth behind Lucky’s Dream without being given at all a hard time.
Having just his third start on turf on the Flat, Polemon has quickly been cut some slack by the handicapper and while he was unfancied here, he will be well worth noting when the market speaks more in his favour.
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Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsReaching High had disappointed on easy ground at Leicester on his penultimate start but he got back on the up when returned to a sounder surface at Windsor on Monday and found only a thriving sort too strong.
Reaching High was beaten half a length by one who made all to complete a course-and-distance hat-trick but he stuck to his task well and pulled 11 lengths clear of the third.
Reaching High boasts an excellent staying pedigree being by Sea The Stars out of Gold Cup winner Estimate and he can raise his game further over longer trips. It shouldn't be long before he's winning handicaps.
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