Expert Analysis

A disappointingly small field, with 3 of the 5 starters hailing from the Aidan O’Brien stable, but they probably all showed at least smart form in filling the first 3 positions. It was a well-run race on ground that was softer than 24 hours earlier and genuinely “heavy”, the winner’s final 2f of 25.83s producing a close-to-par 100.5% finishing speed. The stalls were placed in the centre of the track, and that is where the runners raced thereafter.

HAWK MOUNTAIN (118 here, 112+ previously) has made excellent progress in a short space of time and goes into winter quarters as a major contender for the Classics, the Derby likely to be more his cup of tea than the Guineas but good enough to get in the mix at the shorter trip if conditions test stamina, as they did here. He ducked right at the start but soon led narrowly/disputed, shaken up 3f out then more hard ridden, briefly wandering but knuckling down to assert for sure near the finish. By Wootton Bassett out of the smart winner up to 12f Hydrangea, he will stay further than 8f, though his cadence here (2.33 max, 2.23 min) suggests he will get 12f rather than necessarily be better for that trip.

ACTION (117 here, 108+ previously) confirmed the impression from Newmarket that he was just coming to himself, improving plenty here and more professional with it, close up/disputing before shaken up well over 2f out and in with every chance until held near the end. He is a quicker strider than the 2 he separated here, but, as a close relative by Frankel to Lambourn, he can be expected to stay beyond 8f next year.

BENVENUTO CELLINI (109 here, 116 previously) had his form franked elsewhere over the weekend, and that he was beaten so comprehensively might have been down to the testing ground: all in all, he is one still to be interested in for next year, including at the highest grade. Easy to back but still going off favourite ahead of his stable-companions, he tracked the pace before closing to about half a length down between 3f out and 2f out, one paced thereafter and not knocked about when held, still keeping on nicely at the death. He deserves to be thought of as right up there as a Derby candidate, his relaxed and fluent stride (2.22 max, 2.08 min) that of one who will be suited by 10f/12f, and possibly by a sounder surface.

ROCHFORTBRIDGE (78 here, 97 previously)

OXAGON (55 here, 110 previously) was backed but ran no sort of race and should not be judged too harshly on this.