City falls to Border

Borderlescott overcame plenty of trouble in running to get off the mark for the campaign in the toteswinger City Wall Stakes at Chester.Last year's Nunthorpe winner was sent off the 6-5 market leader after finishing fifth in the King's Stand at Royal Ascot. But after bouncing out of the gates, he was soon shuffled back and stuck behind rivals.Robin Bastiman's stable star was bumped before the turn for home but when the gap came in the straight, the seven-year-old knuckled down well to beat the fast-finishing Captain Gerrard by a length.Bastiman said: "I keep telling everybody he only comes to himself in July and August. I know he's a year older, but the engine is still there."He'll go to Glorious Goodwood and, at this stage, I would say he'll go for the Group Three (Audi Stakes) as he'd have another 3lb penalty in the Stewards' Cup. Then we'll go to York for the Nunthorpe."Winning jockey Pat Cosgrave added: "He's tough and genuine and I jumped nearly too good, really, as he likes to have something to tow him along for a while. I just slotted in on the fence and I took him back a bit further than I wanted because it was just getting so tight in there."I just accepted it as they were going quick and, thankfully, the gap was there for me in the straight."Regal Parade benefited from a well-judged ride by Adrian Nicholls to take the totepool City Plate. The 11-4 chance, trained by the jockey's father Dandy Nicholls, was settled in midfield early on before being asked to challenge for the lead soon after the turn for home.This move proved decisive as Regal Parade quickly took a couple of lengths out of the field and had enough in the tank to hold fast-finishing favourite Balthazaar's Gift by half a length."He's a grand horse and he just keeps improving," said Nicholls snr. "He ran well in the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot, where there was no gallop for him. We'll go forward from here as he has few engagements."