ANMAAT found only Adayar too good at Newmarket on his reappearance having ended last season with a Group 2 victory here despite conceding weight to the re-opposing Junko. Owen Burrows’ charge looks to have a good chance of landing his first Group 1. Onesto has won at the highest level though that was over 1m4f here in last year’s Grand Prix de Paris while the remainder step up in trip. David Simcock’s Light Infantry went close in Group 1 company at Deauville last term and is preferred to the Irish challenger Buckaroo while Facteur Cheval and Erevann filled the places at Saint-Cloud last time with the latter fancied to reverse running.
Erevann (FR) 15-8fav (8-13) 3rd of 7, 2 1/2l behind Tribalist (8-13) at Saint-Cloud 1m Grp 2 stks hvy in May.
Light Infantry (FR) 12-1 (9-2) Raced in centre group, held up off the pace in last pair, headway near side rail over 1f out, stayed on late, never threatened, 7th of 12, 3 1/2l behind Modern Games (9-2) at Newbury 1m Grp 1 stks (1) gd in May.
Buckaroo 5-2 (9-10) Disputed lead early, tracked leader and 2nd halfway, pushed along entering straight, ridden and led 1f out, soon strongly pressed, kept on well closing stages, won at Leopardstown 1m lst stks (1) hvy in Apr beating Homeless Songs (9-9) by nk, 8 ran.
Anmaat (IRE) 9-4 (9-7) Close up, pushed along over 2f out, ridden and headway 2f out, stayed on to go 2nd towards finish, no threat to winner, 2nd of 5, 2 1/2l behind Adayar (9-2) at Newmarket 1m 2f Grp 3 stks (1) sft in May.
Facteur Cheval (IRE) 9-2 (8-13) 2nd of 7, 1 1/4l behind Tribalist (8-13) at Saint-Cloud 1m Grp 2 stks hvy in May.
Junko (9-0) 6th of 14, 4 1/4l behind Lord North (9-0) at Meydan 1m 1f Grp 1 fst in Mar.
Onesto (IRE) 10-1 (8-9) 7th of 18, 4 1/2l behind Vela Azul (9-0) at Tokyo 1m 4f fm in Nov.
