Racecards
18:35 Leopardstown (IRE)
Nijinsky Stakes (Listed) (Class 1)
- 9 Runners
- Distance: 1m 3f
- Going: Heavy
- Surface: Turf
- €40,000 added
- Winner: €26,000
- 2nd: €7,600
- 3rd: €3,600
- 4th: €1,200
Aklan (IRE)
47- Form 1
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Trainer J M Oxx
- Jockey Johnny Murtagh
tracked leaders, 5th halfway, ridden along approaching straight, no impression on winner under 2f out, edged left under pressure and kept on one pace final furlong
- Form 211-14
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 97
- Trainer Mrs J Harrington
- Jockey Fran Berry
tracked leader in 2nd, led 4f out, ridden to assert early straight and clear when wandered about over 1f out, hung badly right inside final furlong, kept on
Frontier (GER)
233- Form 61-
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 89
- Trainer A P O'Brien
- Jockey J A Heffernan
settled towards rear, never a factor, no extra approaching straight, eased when beaten from 2f out, completely tailed off
- Form 1
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Trainer J M Oxx
- Jockey N G McCullagh
in rear and ridden along early, 6th halfway, went 4th approaching straight, soon ridden and no impression on winner in 5th under 2f out, kept on one pace under pressure to go 3rd inside final furlong
- Form 43-14
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 98
- Trainer K J Condon
- Jockey W J Lee
tracked leaders on inner, 3rd halfway, 2nd entering straight and soon no impression on winner, kept on one pace
- Form 666-900
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 92
- Trainer K J Condon
- Jockey C O'Donoghue
held up in rear, no extra entering straight and soon eased when beaten, completely tailed off
- Form 822-211
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 104
- Trainer D Wachman
- Jockey Wayne Lordan
settled in rear of mid-division, 7th halfway, ridden and no impression in 6th entering straight, kept on one pace
- Form 613-32
- Age 3
- Weight 9-3
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer A P O'Brien
- Jockey Joseph O'Brien
led, headed 4f out, soon ridden and weakened quickly approaching straight, eased when beaten and virtually pulled up inside final furlong, completely tailed off (lost a shoe and lame post-race)
- Form 4211-3
- Age 3
- Weight 9-0
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer P J Prendergast
- Jockey Declan McDonogh
tracked leaders in 4th, went 2nd approaching straight, 3rd 2f out and soon no chance with winner, no extra inside final furlong
Previous results
In depth
Verdict
An intriguing line-up with several unexposed types in opposition but the overall form of TOWER ROCK should prove good enough. Aidan O'Brien's colt has progressed with each run and after his reappearance behind Light Heavy in a Group 3 here in April he got very much closer to the winner in the Group 2 Derby Trial over the same track and trip. Entries in all the top summer races suggest the son of Dylan Thomas is held in high regard. Coral Wave beat Homecoming Queen on heavy ground in a Group 3 at the Curragh in September and made a bright enough reappearance behind Yellow Rosebud over a mile here last month. Tannery is progressing fast and followed his Dundalk handicap victory by landing a Listed contest at Gowran. Further rain would aid his cause while John Oxx runs a pair of very unexposed types in Aklan and Karatash with Johnny Murtagh preferring the former. None of the remainder can be dismissed in a strong line-up.
Formwatch
Aklan (IRE) 16-1 (9-5) Rear of mid-division, good headway on inner entering straight, progress to lead 2f out, ridden and kept on final furlong, held on, won at Curragh 1m 2f 3yo mdn in Apr beating Ebazan (9-5) by shd, 15 ran.
Backbench Blues (IRE) 9-4fav (8-11) Mid-division, moderate 6th halfway, ridden and no impression in 5th early straight, kept on same pace under pressure final furlong without threatening, 4th of 15, 7l behind Midnight Soprano (9-1) at Curragh 1m 4f hcp gd in May.
Frontier (GER) 7-2 (9-5) Chased leaders, 4th halfway, ridden in 3rd 2f out, stayed on to lead 1f out, kept on well under pressure final furlong, strongly pressed closing stages, all out, won at Navan 1m 2yo mdn sft in Oct beating Light Heavy (9-5) by nk, 14 ran.
Karatash (IRE) 10-3 (9-5) Chased leaders, 4th halfway, headway in 2nd 2f out, led 1 1/2f out, ridden and kept on well from over 1f out, won at Navan 1m 2f 3yo mdn sft in Apr beating Spirit of Concorde (9-5) by 3 1/2l, 11 ran.
Macbeth (IRE) 8-1 (9-3) Chased clear leader, closer in 3rd halfway, ridden early straight and no impression on easy winner from over 1f out, moderate 4th inside final furlong, 4th of 8, 11l behind Speaking Of Which (9-3) at Curragh 1m 2f 3yo Grp 3 (1) gd in May.
Strait Of Zanzibar (USA) 33-1 (8-8) last of 12, 29l behind Burano (8-8) at Meydan(UAE) 1m 3yo lst stk (1) gd in Feb.
Tannery (IRE) 12-1 (8-9) Keen hold early and settled behind leaders, headway into 3rd 3f out, soon ridden, improved to lead over 1f out, stayed on well final furlong, won at Gowran Park 1m 1f fll lst stks (1) hvy in May beating Soon (8-9) by 1 1/2l, 7 ran.
Tower Rock (IRE) 9-1 (9-3) Led, strongly pressed early straight, headed inside final furlong, kept on under pressure but not match winner, 2nd of 5, nk behind Light Heavy (9-3) at Leopardstown 1m 2f 3yo Grp 2 (1) in May.
Coral Wave (IRE) 5-1 (9-0) Tracked leaders racing keenly, 3rd halfway, 2nd entering straight, ridden in 3rd over 1f out, kept on same pace without troubling winner, 3rd of 10, 1 1/4l behind Yellow Rosebud (9-0) at Leopardstown 1m 3yo fll Grp 3 (1) in May.
Blue Corner (IRE) 4-1 (9-5) Tracked leaders, 5th halfway, went 4th entering straight, headway to lead over 1f out, stayed on well to draw clear final furlong, won at Curragh 1m 2f mdn stks gd in May beating Something Graceful (9-0) by 5l, 18 ran.