took keen hold early, held up in 5th, headway to track leading pair 3f out, led over 1f out, soon edged right, driven final furlong, stayed on strongly
raced in 4th, driven along and unable to quicken over 2f out, plugged on final furlong to press for 3rd near finish
slowly into stride, soon tracking leaders in 3rd, disputing 2nd 8f out, tracked leader 4f out, led 2f out, headed over 1f out, no impression when lost 2nd approaching final furlong, no extra after
tracked leader to 8f out, disputing 2nd until 4f out, ridden when not much room on rail over 3f out, weakened under pressure over 2f out
led, quickened pace 6f out, driven and headed approaching 2f out, beaten when slightly hampered over 1f out
held up last, pushed along and unable to quicken 3f out, driven and beaten over 2f out
held up in 6th, pushed along 3f out, headway 2f out, ridden to chase winner approaching final furlong, no impression
Despite his trainer's concerns about the possibility of testing going, we are going to side with Dylan Thomas in the day's feature race, and he is taken to score from his stable companion Scorpion and Youmzain. Dylan Thomas was likely to make up into one of the leading mile-and-a-half horses of the season based on his Irish Derby and Champion Stakes wins of last season. He has returned in very good form this term and comes here on the back of a very good second to Manduro over 10 furlongs in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes. That should have primed him nicely for this, he has won on testing going and looks to be the one they all have to beat. Scorpion was only just defied by Maraahel in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, the latter receiving an exceptional ride from Richard Hills. On five-pounds better terms, Scorpion can gain revenge. Trainer Mick Channon has been bullish in his assessment of Youmzain for this contest, producing coherent arguments for forgiving a number of recent efforts. He could well make the frame today. Prince Fiori is no mug, as evidenced by his Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud run last time, and Laverock's dead-heating second to the rejuvenated Papal Bull at Newmarket last time brings him here in good heart. Finally, the popular Sergeant Cecil may not quite have the ability to mix it with one or two of his rivals in terms of winning which, in turn, returns us to the selection, Dylan Thomas.
Dylan Thomas (IRE) 2-1 (9-0) Held up, headway over 1f out, soon hung right, no impression final furlong, 2nd of 6, 1 1/2l behind Manduro (9-0) at Ascot 1m 2f Grp 1 (1) gd in Jun.
Laverock (IRE) 12-1 (9-7) Held up in rear, ridden, headway from 2f out, stayed on to join 2nd post, 2nd of 12, 2 1/2l behind Papal Bull (9-2) at Newmarket 1m 4f Grp 2 (1) gf.
Maraahel (IRE) 10-3 (9-0) Took keen hold tracking leaders, led 2f out, pressed inside final furlong, kept on gamely, won at Ascot 1m 4f Grp 2 (1) gs in Jun beating Scorpion (9-5) by 1/2l, 7 ran.
Prince Flori (GER) (9-2) Raced in 3rd to straight, headway on outside to dispute 2nd over 1f out, no extra inside final furlong, 3rd of 6, 2l behind Mountain High (9-2) at Saint-Cloud 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gs in Jun.
Scorpion (IRE) 4-5fav (9-5) Tracked leader to 4f out, hard ridden 3f out, chased winner inside final 2f, soon driven and always held near finish, 2nd of 7, 1/2l behind Maraahel (9-0) at Ascot 1m 4f Grp 2 (1) gs in Jun.
Sergeant Cecil 13-2 (9-2) Took keen hold and held up towards rear, last and struggling straight, tailed off, last of 14, well behind Yeats (9-2) at Ascot 2m 4f Grp 1 (1) gf in Jun.
Youmzain (IRE) (9-2) Held up in 5th, last after 4f, never a factor, 5th of 6, 5l behind Mountain High (9-2) at Saint-Cloud 1m 4f Grp 1 (1) gs in Jun.
