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20:10 Haydock Park

H2o Stakes (Registered As The July Trophy) (Class A) (Listed Race) (colts and geldings) (Class A)

  • 7 Runners
  • Distance: 1m 3f 200y
  • Going: Soft
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 2m 39.53s
  • 7 Ran
Go to Full Result
1
Silk -

Frank Sonata

10/3

    2
    Silk -

    Pukka (IRE)

    9/4

      1(1)
      Silk - Orange, Emerald Green check sleeves and check cap

      Red Lancer

      21
      12/1
      • Form 221360
      • Age 3
      • Weight 9-3

      held up, effort over 3f out, weakened over 2f out

      2(5)
      Silk - RED and DARK GREEN (halved), WHITE sleeves and cap

      Anousa (IRE)

      10
      25/1
      • Form 100031
      • Age 3
      • Weight 9-0

      soon in touch, ridden over 3f out, weakened over 2f out

      3(7)
      Silk - White, Emerald Green hoops on body, White cap

      Albinus

      24 b
      5/1
      • Form 03-0211
      • Age 3
      • Weight 8-10

      lead, ridden 2f out, headed 1f out, no extra close home

      4(6)
      Silk - Royal Blue and Yellow (halved), checked sleeves, Royal Blue cap

      Frank Sonata

      42
      10/3
      • Form 00-6131
      • Age 3
      • Weight 8-10

      held up, headway over 3f out, ridden over 2f out, lead 1f out, held on well

      5(3)
      Silk - YELLOW, BLACK hoop and armlets, RED cap

      Lord Mayor

      30
      9/4
      • Form 631-315
      • Age 3
      • Weight 8-10

      prominent, ridden over 2f out, weakened over 1f out

      6(2)
      Silk - Royal Blue, White chevron, diamonds on sleeves, check cap

      Protective

      43
      50/1
      • Form 401
      • Age 3
      • Weight 8-10

      held up, effort over 3f out, weakened over 2f out

      7(4)
      Silk - Beige, Royal Blue sleeves and cap

      Pukka (IRE)

      42
      9/4
      • Form 0431-10
      • Age 3
      • Weight 8-10

      prominent, ridden over 2f out, stayed on towards finish

      In depth

      Verdict

      Red Lancer, Lord Mayor, Frank Sonata and Pukka look to be the ones to focus on here, with Pukka getting the vote. Following on from a tidy handicap win at Newbury, Luca Cumani, who owns, trains and bred the son of Sadler's Wells elected to run him in the Derby. His trainer regards his run there - where he finished ninth of the 14 runners - as a "reality check" but, even so, he rates the colt highly and he would have to close to winning today to warrant that opinion from his canny handler. Red Lancer has been a sensation this season, and not always for the best of reasons. Focussing on the good, he ran away with the Group 3 Chester Vase three runs ago, a run that elevated his official rating to somewhere near his current 108, but it also means he has to concede seven pounds to Pukka, which, for us, swings the vote in the direction of the selection. Turning to the others. Anousa showed much improved from to win at Newmarket last time but has a good bit more to find if official ratings are to be believed. Albinus is also on the up but, again, has quite a few pounds to find on official marks, but Frank Sonata confirmed himself as very decent by turning what looked like a competitive handicap into a procession over course and distance last time out. He remains interesting, as does Sir Michael Stoute's Lord Mayor, who was fifth in Royal Ascot's Hampton Court Stakes last time but will find today's going much more to his liking. Protective has also won over course and distance but now steps up from maiden company. Overall, then, in what is a fascinating contest, we will side with Luca Cumani and Pukka.