Kool wins Nobel prize
Stepping up in trip following successive wins over five furlongs at Leicester and Windsor, the 7-2 shot was a little keen at the head of affairs but stuck to his guns admirably when pressed by Toscanini to take the prize by a head under Pat Dobbs.
Aidan O’Brien’s War Envoy was all the rage for the Listed contest as the 8-15 favourite following his winning course and distance debut at the end of April, but while he travelled sweetly on the heels of the leaders for a long way, he did not find much for pressure and was slightly disappointing in third.
It was another notable success in Ireland for the Middleham Park Racing syndicate, who struck in the National Stakes at the Curragh last year with champion two-year-old Toormore, but a first for the trainer since taking over from his father.
RaceBets inserted Kool Kompany into the betting for the Coventry Stakes as a 7-1 chance, behind 100-30 favourite The Great War, but Middleham Park racing manager Tim Palin revealed he is far from certain to head to the Royal meeting.
Palin said: “It was a bit of gamble going over to Ireland to take on an Aidan O’Brien horse in his own backyard. We would have been happy with second, but we went over there thinking he would run a good race.
“He’s actually done very well to win as he got a bit upset in the stalls, he jinked at the start of the race and was then too keen and didn’t settle. He could be a 5lb better horse when things go right for him.
“It’s onwards and upwards from here and the automatic thought is the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. Obviously The Great War is there, but I think we’ve achieved as much as him and you could argue Kool Kompany deserves to be favourite.
“There is the Railway Stakes at the Curragh (June 28) and given that is a week or 10 days later than the Coventry and would just give him a bit more time to get over today, I would say that is at least as likely as going to Royal Ascot.”
O’Brien said: “I might have left him (War Envoy) a bit short. We were looking at Ascot on the way here and he got a bit tired. He’ll go for the Coventry.
“The Great War might go for the Norfolk. He’s good, he’s had two runs and we nearly got a third into him.”
O’Brien and his son Joseph gained compensation later in the afternoon as American recruit Due Diligence (5-4 favourite) blew his rivals away in the Lacken Stakes.
O’Brien said: “You’d have to be delighted with that. The better ground the better it will suit him.
“He has the choice of the Jersey or the Diamond Jubilee (at Royal Ascot).
“He’s a big striding horse with a big cruise and he’s uncomplicated. He should come on again from that.”
The O’Briens doubled up with 6-1 shot Table Rock in the Follow Us On Facebook Handicap.
Tested quickly bounced back from her slightly disappointing showing in the Irish 1,000 Guineas with victory in the Owenstown Stud Stakes.
Turned out just eight days after finishing sixth in the Curragh Classic, the 100-30 shot produced telling acceleration under Pat Smullen to score by a length and three-quarters from Slipper Orchid.
Winning trainer Dermot Weld said: “I thought it was a very good performance.
“It was a little soon (after the Guineas) but I was very happy with her. It was heavy ground in the Guineas and she didn’t get home.
“We’ll look for a Group race for her now. She’s had three quick runs in succession so might get a break now and come back for something like the Fairy Bridge (Tipperary, August 28).”
The Kevin Prendergast-trained Beach Belle (15-8 favourite) made it two from two with a last-to-first victory in the Coolmore Stud European Breeders Fund Fillies’ Sprint Stakes in the hands of Chris Hayes.
Prendergast said: “She’s a very good filly. She probably won’t run until the Phoenix Stakes or the Moyglare now. We’ll go that way instead of travelling (to Royal Ascot).”
John Oxx’s 3-1 favourite Hazaraba confirmed the promise of her encouraging juvenile debut with a dominant front-running victory under Declan McDonogh in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Maiden.
Oxx said: “She’s well-bred and is out of a mare that’s doing well (Hazariya). We’d like to see another black type filly for the dam and she’ll run in a Listed race next.”
