last to break, held up, pushed along 3f out, soon ridden and outpaced, edged left and well beaten over 2f out
tracked leaders, went 2nd briefly over 2f out, driven over 1f out, unable to quicken entering final furlong, no impression and one pace after
tracked leaders, closed going well over 2f out, shaken up to lead over 1f out, soon asserted, ran on well
held up in 5th, took keen hold, ridden 4f out, weakened over 2f out
prominent, led 5f out, ridden 2f out, headed over 1f out, stayed on, no impression on winner, lost 2nd close home
led, headed 5f out, ridden over 3f out, no impression over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong
held up in rear, pushed along to close over 2f out, soon not much room and switched right, kept on inside final furlong, went 2nd close home, no impression on winner
Aidan O'Brien has won two of the last three renewals with Sir Nicholas Abbey and Camelot so the once-raced Kingsbarns has to come into the reckoning. Sent off odds-on for his debut at Navan, he duly obliged by seven lengths and could be anything. Trading Leather has yet to encounter soft ground but improved to land a Group 2 at Newmarket a fortnight ago. He beat the Richard Hannon-trained Montiridge on that occasion which gives the East Everleigh handler a good pointer to the chances of the unbeaten Van Der Neer, a conditions race winner at Leicester earlier this month. Steeler is a leading contender having won the Group 2 Royal Lodge at Newmarket in good style with Birdman back in fourth. But the latter had also earlier finished behind FIRST CORNERSTONE in the Futurity Stakes at the Curragh where Andy Oliver's colt won over 7f in testing ground. He'll relish this longer trip and should be bang there at the finish. Sir Patrick Moore will have to step up on his recent form in France to figure in this company.
Birdman (IRE) 22-1 (8-12) Prominent, ridden 3f out, kept on one pace from over 1f out, lost 3rd post, 4th of 8, 5l behind Steeler (8-12) at Newmarket 1m 2yo Grp 2 (1) gd in Sep.
First Cornerstone (IRE) 7-2 (9-3) Soon raced in moderate 3rd, niggled along to close approaching 2f out, soon challenged and gained narrow lead 1 1/2f out, soon pressed, stayed on well inside final furlong, won at Curragh 7f 2yo Grp 2 (1) sft in Aug beating Flying The Flag (9-3) by 1 1/2l, 4 ran.
Kingsbarns (IRE) 4-11fav (9-5) Tracked leaders in 4th, smooth headway early straight, led under 2f out, soon quickened clear, eased close home, impressive, won at Navan 1m 2yo mdn beating Risk Return (9-5) by 7l, 8 ran.
Sir Patrick Moore (FR) (8-11) 6th of 11, 3 1/2l behind Meneas (8-11) at Deauville(FR) 1m 2yo lst stk (1) gd in Aug.
Steeler (IRE) 11-4 (8-12) Prominent, led narrowly halfway, pushed along 3f out, ridden 2f out, asserted near finish, won at Newmarket 1m 2yo Grp 2 (1) gd in Sep beating Artigiano (8-12) by 1l, 8 ran.
Trading Leather (IRE) 5-2fav (9-0) Tracked leader, ridden to lead approaching final furlong, headed narrowly inside final furlong, rallied to lead again final strides, won at Newmarket 1m 2yo Grp 3 (1) gs beating Montiridge (9-0) by 3/4l, 11 ran.
Van Der Neer 2-1 (9-2) Keen early close up in 4th, switched right 2f out, cruised up to join leaders approaching final furlong, shaken up to lead just inside final furlong, quickened clear, heavily eased near finish, impressive, won at Leicester 7f 2yo stks (3) sft beating Seek Again (9-2) by 1 3/4l, 4 ran.
