Expert Analysis

The race that was billed as the race of the week, and one of the most eagerly awaited contests of the season, ended up a shade disappointing. That is not to take anything away from the winner, Item, who enhanced his exceptional record at York and has now shown his Derby run to be just a mere blip in an otherwise excellent three-year-old campaign. In a messy contest, his passage was a difficult one, but he got there just in time to pip Almaqam, who looked like the winner for the majority of the final furlong.

ITEM, the son of Frankel, followed in his footsteps by winning this race, his first Group 1 in the process. Held up towards the rear early on, he had a good position turning in but when Ombudsman moved up on his inside, he soon found himself in a bit of a pocket. He was eventually forced to switch round Almaqam a furlong out and did well in the circumstances to get up in the final strides. The stiff test at this trip (100.68% FSP) clearly helped him as he stays ten furlongs well.

ALMAQAM very nearly held on to spring a bit of a surprise here. His preference for softer conditions saw him reverse form with Ombudsman quite emphatically from Ascot. He tracked Constitution River into the straight and with the other leading contenders behind him, it allowed him the opportunity to challenge first, a move which nearly paid dividends.

CONSTITUTION RIVER sat close to the strong early pace and was a little keen through the opening furlong too. He moved by his stablemate early in the straight, but the signs were ominous soon after as the challengers stalked him. He may not have been at his best here, but there is also the possibility that his limitations were exposed as just a good horse rather than one better than that. I wonder if connections might ride him a little colder next time.

OMBUDSMAN was shy of his brilliant best here on ground that blunted his best attribute – a devastating turn of foot. While tactics and the way the race was run may have played their part, the eventual winner had a passage that was just as troubled, but Ombudsman wasn’t the same horse here that we saw at Ascot and his finishing effort was weak. He may not have been helped by challenging closest to the far rail up the straight.

ZAYDANN was at the rear early in the straight and stayed on past beaten horses without ever threatening to get involved.

HAWK MOUNTAIN set the pace here through the first six furlongs. It was a strong one, and he weakened in the final three furlongs.

DEVIL’S ADVOCATE couldn’t get to the front here early on and sat third behind the O’Brien pair before fading out of it in the straight.

ACTION kept Ombudsman company in a strange role rather than the pace making one many expected. He inconvenienced him, but offered little else.