CAPRI heads the Ballydoyle raiding party. He continued his good progress when landing the Group 2 Beresford Stakes over a mile at the Curragh in testing going and the Galileo colt is expected to stay this longer trip. Douglas Macarthur, Wings Of Eagle and Taj Mahal make up the rest of Aidan O’Brien’s challenge. Soft ground is new to Best Solution as he also steps up in distance having won the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket. He’s preferred to the other Godolphin runner D'bai while Mark Johnston’s Frankuus beat Prinz Hlodowig and Andre Fabre’s Waldgeist in a Group 3 at Chantilly early this month and Cunco at Haydock before that. Rich Legacy won the May Hill at Doncaster but was well beaten in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile subsequently while Gowran maiden winner Rekindling and German raider Warring States have plenty to prove at this level.
Waldgeist (8-11) 3rd of 5, 1/4l behind Frankuus (8-11) at Chantilly 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Oct.
Capri (IRE) 8-11fav (9-3) Chased leaders, 3rd 2f out, ridden to lead 1 1/2f out, stayed on well under pressure final furlong, won at Curragh 1m Grp 2 stks (1) hvy in Sep beating Yucatan (9-3) by 3/4l, 6 ran.
Taj Mahal (IRE) 7-1 (9-3) Chased leader in 2nd, ridden in 2nd 2f out, led narrowly over 1f out, headed 1f out, no impression on winner inside final furlong, dropped to 3rd close home, 3rd of 7, 1 1/4l behind Making Light (9-0) at Leopardstown 7f Grp 3 stks (1) Yielding in Oct.
Wings Of Eagles (FR) 10-1 (9-2) Held up, towards rear, pushed along 3f out, headway over 2f out, hung right over 1f out, stayed on same pace, 4th of 12, 4 1/2l behind Coronet (8-11) at Newmarket 1m 2f lst stks (1) gd in Oct.
Cunco (IRE) 11-1 (9-2) Held up, in touch, driven to challenge 2f out, every chance inside final furlong, ran on, held close home, 2nd of 12, nk behind Coronet (8-11) at Newmarket 1m 2f lst stks (1) gd in Oct.
Best Solution (IRE) 12-1 (9-1) Tracked leader, led over 1f out, soon ridden, stayed on strongly under pressure inside final furlong, won at Newmarket 1m Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Oct beating Zainhom (9-1) by 2l, 10 ran.
D'bai (IRE) 9-4fav (9-3) Tracked leaders 2f, close up, not clear run and switched right over 1f out and bumped rival, ridden and soon edged left, led entering final furlong, edged right inside final furlong, ran on, won at Pontefract 1m lst stks (1) sft in Oct beating Al Hamdany (9-3) by hd, 8 ran.
Frankuus (IRE) (8-11) won at Chantilly 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Oct beating Prinz Hlodowig (8-11) by nk, 5 ran.
Douglas Macarthur (IRE) 5-1 (9-0) Held up, headway to track leaders over 3f out, ridden 2f out, one pace final furlong, 5th of 8, 2 1/4l behind Best Of Days (9-0) at Newmarket 1m Grp 2 stks (1) gf in Sep.
Prinz Hlodowig (FR) (8-11) 2nd of 5, nk behind Frankuus (8-11) at Chantilly 1m 1f Grp 3 stks (1) gd in Oct.
Warring States (JPN) Victoire Pisa colt out of Ciliege.
Rekindling 7-1 (9-5) Soon led, driven over 2f out, ridden and pressed under 2f out, kept on well final furlong, asserted final 150 yards, won at Gowran Park 1m mdn sft in Sep beating World War (9-5) by 2 1/2l, 13 ran.
Rich Legacy (IRE) 10-1 (9-0) Raced centre, led overall 2f, tracked leader, ridden and every chance over 1f out, kept on same pace, 4th of 8, 12l behind Rhododendron (9-0) at Newmarket 1m Grp 1 fll (1) gf in Oct.
