Reporter: Simon Rowlands
This race was saved from the cancelled Ascot card, not for the first time, which seemed to leave the route clear for Jonbon. In the end, however, he failed to cope with the jumping demands when it mattered and had to play second fiddle to one who had seemed below high-class previously. The pace was notably strong on a card when most races were anything but well-run, and the closing stages were slow-motion in relative terms.
ELIXIR DE NUTZ (c164 here, 156 previously) deserves credit for some improvement, and for seeing things out so well, not the classiest two-miler around but a tough and genuine sort who runs his race more often than not. He raced close to the strong pace, leading again at the tenth, walking through 3 out (but somehow losing little momentum), headed at the second-last then again after his main rival fluffed the last, ridden out and hanging on grimly.
JONBON (c164+ here, 169 previously) turned in a remarkable effort, all but winning despite a couple of significant errors, the first of them 4 out almost causing him to lose his rider and especially costly, rallying to lead at the second-last but slow at the last and losing the lead again, staying on again late but just failing to get back up. He has class in abundance but that was not quite enough in this instance and El Fabiolo would likely punish any shortcomings with even greater authority.
FUGITIF (c156 here and previously) ended up running creditably but was struggling in rear by halfway, staying on late and helped by how things unfolded.
NUBE NEGRA (c151 here, 155 previously) ran just respectably, a couple of errors not helping and finding no extra at the end of a strongly run race having still had every chance going to 2 out.
EDITEUR DU GITE (c0 here, 163 previously) had won this 12 months before but is most inconsistent and dropped right away late on here having made a shuddering mistake at the third but seemed to recover OK.
