tracked leaders, pushed along and outpaced 2f out, soon switched right and beaten
led on rail, ridden and headed over 1f out, lost 2nd entering final furlong, soon outpaced, lost 3rd inside final 150 yards, weakened
soon tracking leaders out wide, went 2nd over 2f out until inside final 2f, soon ridden, weakened over 1f out
tracked leader until pushed along over 2f out, weakened quickly inside final 2f
wore hood to post, tracked leaders, switched off rail 2f out, went 2nd inside final 2f, ridden to lead over 1f out, headed and not pace of winner towards finish
steadied start, held up off the pace in 7th, switched left over 3f out, headway between horses 2f out, quickened to challenge inside final furlong, stayed on to lead towards finish, won going away
raced keenly out wide in 6th, headway chasing leaders over 2f out, ridden disputing 2nd over 1f out, soon ridden hung right and not much room, plugged on in 3rd inside final 150 yards
held up in last pair, never involved
held up off the pace in last trio, pushed along and headway out wide chasing leaders 3f out, weakened inside final 2f
slowly into stride, held up off the pace in last pair, hampered over 3f out, plugged on in well held 5th final furlong
It’s a question of experience versus potential in this 2000 Guineas trial. Master Of The Seas, winner of the Superlative Stakes on the July Course here last year, suffered a shock defeat at Meydan in February and now wears a hood. William Buick still prefers him to La Barrosa, however, despite the latter winning in this grade here in his first season before finding heavy ground too much in France. Mystery Smiles did well last year but the step up to a mile could pose problems. Aidan O’Brien runs a couple with Ryan Moore on the Curragh maiden winner Khartoum but Frankie may have picked up a nice spare ride on SANDHURST, who is also by Galileo. The latter beat the subsequent Group 3 winner Flying Visit on his second start at Gowran and is entered in all the top races. Devilwala finished fourth in the Dewhurst here in the autumn before running at the Breeders’ Cup and looks best of the rest.
Akmaam (FR) 8-1 (9-1) Raced wide close up, headway 3f out, ridden and every chance 2f out, no extra inside final furlong, 5th of 10, 4 1/2l behind One Ruler (9-1) at Newmarket 1m Grp 3 stks (1) sft in Oct.
Devilwala (IRE) 55-1 (8-10) Dwelt/hoppd st,ins-2wd, 8th of 14, 7 1/4l behind Fire At Will (8-10) at Keeneland 1m gd in Nov.
Imperial Sands (IRE) 7-2 (9-2) Disputed lead early stages, close up and chased leader 4f out, pressed leader and led briefly 2f out, headed 1f out, ridden and kept on well inside final furlong, 2nd of 5, 1/2l behind Mostahdaf (9-2) at Kempton 1m stks (2) pol in Apr.
Khartoum (USA) 2-1fav (9-7) Soon led, pushed along and pressed from under 2f out, stayed on well to assert inside final furlong, won at Curragh 7f mdn sft in Oct beating Supershock (9-2) by 2 1/4l, 14 ran.
La Barrosa (IRE) (8-13) 5th of 7, 6 1/4l behind Van Gogh (8-13) at Saint-Cloud 1m Grp 1 stks (1) in Oct.
Master Of The Seas (IRE) (8-9) 2nd of 6, 1 3/4l behind Naval Crown (8-9) at Meydan 1m lst stks gd in Feb.
Mystery Smiles (IRE) 7-2fav (9-1) Midfield, ridden and headway on inside 2f out, close up entering final furlong, kept on, 3rd of 10, 1l behind Mighty Gurkha (9-1) at Kempton 6f Grp 3 stks (1) pol in Sep.
Royal Air Force (IRE) 5-4fav (9-5) Tracked leaders, pushed along to lead over 1f out, ran on, comfortable, won at Yarmouth 7f stks (5) gf in Jun beating Codebook (9-5) by 7l, 3 ran.
Sandhurst (IRE) 11-4 (9-2) Dwelt, held up off pace in last early, headway into 3rd at halfway, ridden in 3rd 2f out, went 2nd under 1f out, stayed on well to lead close home, won at Gowran Park 7f hvy in Oct beating Flying Visit (9-6) by 1 1/2l, 5 ran.
The Rosstafarian (IRE) 6-4fav (9-3) Close up, headway 2f out, switched left over 1f out, ran on towards finish, 3rd of 7, 1/4l behind Pythagoras (9-3) at Pontefract 1m lst stks (1) sft in Oct.
