DONCASTER (04 Jun 2005)

Good To Firm

2:50 Carling Extra Cold Conditions Stakes (3) (3yo+)

[off 2:52] £8,444.80, £3,203.20, £1,601.60, £728.00, £364.00, £218.40 (1m2f60y) 1m2½f

Comments In Running OR TS RPR

1 Sabre D´Argent (USA) (5) Saeed Bin Suroor 5 9-2 T P Queally 15/8F 110 — —

2 1¼ Big Bad Bob (IRE) (1) J L Dunlop 5 9-9 E Ahern 2/1 110 — —

3 4 Persian Majesty (IRE) (6) W R Swinburn 5 9-2 F Lynch 5/2 108 — —

4 5 Royal Cavalier (3) R Hollinshead 8 9-2 R Mullen 10/1 94 — —

5 dist Buthaina (IRE) (4) Mrs L Williamson 5 8-8 P Mulrennan(3) 125/1 40 — —

5 ran TIME 2m 8.81s (slow by 0.81s) TOTAL SP 106%

NON RUNNER: Green Noon (FR)

1st OWNER: Godolphin BRED: Philip Freedman TRAINER: Saeed Bin Suroor

2nd OWNER: Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc

3rd OWNER: Dr Jamal Ahmadzadeh

TOTE WIN £2.30 PL £1.60, £1.30; Ex £4.20; CSF £5.55

ANALYSIS: Just the six runners and only two ever held a winning chance, with SABRE D'ARGENT having the measure of Big Bad Bob, the long-time leader, where it mattered.

The winner, a progressive individual two seasons ago, when he won a Group 3 race, missed the whole of last year, so it was a welcome sight for connections to see him make a successful comeback. A grand sort, he should be capable of building on this.

Big Bad Bob, who had the luxury of an uncontested lead, made it a decent clip. Althoughstaring defeat in the face from over a furlong out, he stuck to his task in good style and certainly did not go down without a fight.