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14:40 Ascot

Bovis Homes Sagaro Stakes (Class A)

  • 7 Runners
  • Distance: 2m 45y
  • Going: Good, Good to Firm in places
Weighed In
  • Winning Time: 3m 36.20s
  • 7 Ran
1(8)
Silk - Dark Green, Yellow hoop and armlets, check cap
7/2
  • Form 41131/1
  • Age 8
  • Weight 8-13

pulled hard, held up in touch, headway over 2f out, led over 1f out, pressed and rider hit rival on head with whip inside final furlong, stayed on, finished 1st, disqualified and placed

2(6)
Silk - Royal Blue, Yellow braces, Red cap
  • Form 020344-
  • Age 6
  • Weight 8-13

held up last, ridden and lost touch final 3f

3(1)
Silk - Purple, Light Blue chevron, Light Blue cap
  • Form 56546-4
  • Age 7
  • Weight 8-13

led after 3f, headed 4f out, stayed on same pace final 2f

5(5)
Silk - White, Green sleeves, Orange cap

Pole Star

173
9/2
  • Form 224241-
  • Age 5
  • Weight 8-13

tracked leaders, went 2nd over 3f out, led over 2f out to well over 1f out, not quicken final furlong

6(2)
Silk - Peacock Blue, White cap
14/1
  • Form 34510-0
  • Age 5
  • Weight 8-13

led 3f, settled behind leaders, weakened over 2f out

7(3)
Silk - Light Green and Yellow check, Yellow cap
9/1
  • Form 362315-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 8-12

held up in touch, headway on outside and hung right over 2f out, driven and rider dropped whip 2f out, stayed on to press winner when struck by whip inside final furlong, just held,

8(4)
Silk - WHITE, ORANGE and WHITE striped cap
  • Form 6/45123-
  • Age 4
  • Weight 8-9

took keen hold, tracked leader after 3f, led 4f out to over 2f out, weakened inside final furlong

4(7)
NR
  • Form 161100/
  • Age 11
  • Weight 8-13

Nonrunner

In depth

Verdict

The lightly-raced Spanish John is taken to land an intriguing renewal of Ascot's Group 3 Sagaro Stakes. Fourth in last year's Chester Vase, he ended the season with a very good third behind Persian Punch in the Jockey Club Stakes and a repeat of that should make him very competitive here. Hughie Morrison worked wonders to produce Alcazar to win at Nottingham after a long absence, but this is tougher. The 2001 Cesarewitch winner Distant Prospect is taking a step up in class. First Ballot comes here fit after a Kempton fourth and, with his stable going well, can't be ignored. Savannah Bay also has scope to do well this year. A Group 3 winner in France, he is, however, four pounds worse off with Spanish for having finished one-and-a-quarter lengths behind him at Newmarket last July. John Dunlop runs two here. Firstly, the 2000 winner of this race, Orchestra Hall, who has not raced for 725 days and the progressive Taffrail, who finished behind Taffrail at Kempton and is now three pounds worse off at the weights. Pole Star will have to improve on his Doncaster win, which came on heavy going.