The home straight is a downhill run to the finish line
The field is well strung out, and only a (most unlikely) major blunder can prevent the favourite winning — the issues for decision now are simply the distances between the contestants at the finishing-line.
‘Fine Gael’, in it’s blue silks, has profited from a superb race-strategy devised by its trainers and stable staff, and has been kept well covered-up and totally unexposed, even when there were yawning gaps capable of exploitation. The much-trumpeted lack of confidence in the jockey’s ability to deal with the obstacles has dissipated over the course of the race — he’s handling the distance well and the ground appears to be very much to his liking. He won’t be caught now, particularly in the context of the downhill run to the finish, and the apparent inability of his main competitors to get alongside him and apply pressure.
