held up well in rear, headway on inside over 2f out, ridden and weakened inside final 2f
tracked leaders, went 2nd 5f out, ridden into narrow lead over 1f out, headed inside final furlong, rallied, stayed on
always prominent, led briefly over 12f out, tracked leader until 5f out, challenged on outside over 2f out, ridden to lead inside final furlong, hung left stayed on
slowly into stride, soon mid-division on inside, ridden on outside over 2f out, hung right under pressure and unable to quicken inside final 2f, stayed on inside final furlong
held up in last pair, ridden and effort between horses 2f out, kept on inside final furlong
raced wide into 1st turn, pulled hard and prominent, led after 1f until steadied tracking leaders over 12f out, pushed along 3f out, weakened over 2f out
held up towards rear, headway on outside over 2f out, kept on in never dangerous 4th inside final 2f
mid-division on outside, pushed along 4f out, headway chasing leaders over 2f out, weakened inside final 2f
raced keenly, headway to lead 12f out, ridden and headed over 1f out, kept on gamely, lost 2nd 1f out, stayed on
held up towards rear, never involved
led 1f, tracked leaders, pushed along over 2f out, ridden inside final 2f, soon weakened and eased over 1f out
mid-division, headway on inside chasing leaders over 2f out, weakened inside final 2f
always towards rear, never a factor
Aidan O’Brien has a good record in this and runs four with Ryan Moore partnering Norway ahead of another Listed winner in Western Australia. Both are preferred to stablemates Barbados and Harpo Marx while Charlie Appleby has two runners with JALMOUD looking the more progressive. The latter was beaten by today’s stable companion Moonlight Spirit on his debut but has won both subsequent starts, including a Listed contest over 1m4f at Longchamp last month - the runner-up in that race has since been narrowly beaten in Group 2 company. That form should put him bang there at the finish and the Godolphin colt gets the vote. Dashing Willoughby, Nate The Great, Pythion and Eminent Authority all have something to find with the Ballydoyle horses while Mark Johnston’s pair Nayef Road and Themaxwecan have a bit to prove at this level along with novice winner Almost Midnight.
Almost Midnight 6-1 (9-9) Mid-division, switched right and headway over 2f out, led and edged left over 1f out, stayed on well, won at Thirsk 1m 4f stks (4) gd in May beating Selino (9-2) by 1 1/4l, 9 ran.
Barbados (IRE) 7-4 (9-3) Led, ridden and pressed 2f out, headed 1 1/2f out, kept on same pace final furlong, 2nd of 3, 3/4l behind Rakan (9-3) at Leopardstown 1m 4f lst (1) gd in Jun.
Dashing Willoughby 11-2 (9-0) Led, ridden 2f out, headed approaching final furlong, kept on same pace, 3rd of 7, 8 3/4l behind Sir Dragonet (9-0) at Chester 1m 4f Grp 3 stks (1) gs in May.
Eminent Authority (IRE) 6-1 (9-3) Held up in rear, ridden 2f out, soon no impression on leaders, kept on again closing stages of final furlong, last of 3, 1 1/2l behind Rakan (9-3) at Leopardstown 1m 4f lst (1) gd in Jun.
Harpo Marx (IRE) 8-13fav (9-5) Towards rear early, soon good progress on outer to chase leader in 2nd, pushed along from 3f out and improved to lead over 1f out, ridden and kept on well inside final furlong, won at Tipperary 1m 4f mdn sft in Jun beating Halimi (9-5) by 2 1/4l, 10 ran.
Jalmoud (9-2) won at Longchamp 1m 4f lst stks gs in May beating Soft Light (9-2) by hd, 6 ran.
Moonlight Spirit (IRE) (9-2) 3rd of 5, 3 3/4l behind Quest The Moon (9-2) at Longchamp 1m 4f Grp 3 in May.
Nate The Great 16-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders, ridden over 2f out, kept on one pace and went 3rd close home, 3rd of 10, 4l behind Anthony Van Dyck (9-0) at Lingfield 1m 4f lst stks (1) sft in May.
Nayef Road (IRE) 4-1 (9-7) Pushed along early, soon mid-division and took keen hold briefly, driven 3f out, ridden 2f out, kept on under pressure from over 1f out, never going pace to challenge, 5th of 9, 6l behind Le Don De Vie (8-2) at Epsom 1m 2f hcp (2) gd in Jun.
Norway (IRE) 33-1 (9-0) Led early, tracked leader, led again 3f out, soon ridden, headed 2f out, lost place over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 8th of 13, 6 3/4l behind Anthony Van Dyck (9-0) at Epsom 1m 4f Grp 1 stks (1) gf in Jun.
Pythion (FR) 6-1 (9-3) Led, ridden 2f out, soon strongly pressed, joined 1f out, headed inside final furlong, kept on same pace in 2nd close home, 2nd of 5, 1 1/2l behind Western Australia (9-3) at Navan 1m 5f lst stks (1) gf in May.
Themaxwecan (IRE) 9-2 (9-6) Held up, headway over 2f out, chased leaders over 1f out, ran on strongly inside final furlong, just failed, 2nd of 6, hd behind Durston (8-7) at Doncaster 1m 7f hcp (2) gf in Jun.
Western Australia (IRE) 2-1 (9-3) Chased leader in 2nd, pushed along 3f out, ridden and improved to dispute lead 1f out, led inside final furlong, stayed on well close home, won at Navan 1m 5f lst stks (1) gf in May beating Pythion (9-3) by 1 1/2l, 5 ran.
