16:15 Naas

Sunday 21 May 2017

All14:0514:4015:1515:4516:1516:4517:15

EMS Copiers Lacken Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 16:15 | Winning time: 1m 12.33s

(7)

Caravaggio²⁸⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 116| D

8/15

Last year's impressive Coventry Stakes winner ended his 2yo campaign unbeaten with four wins and a Group 1 prize to boot. A speedy son of Scat Daddy, he should have a big summer ahead and is very much the one to beat on his reappearance.

Form: 1111-

(2)

Khukri²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: C O'Donoghue| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 107| D

10/3

Ended last season with maiden win at the Curragh (6f, yielding) and confirmed the suspicion he'd have more to offer by starting this term with 6f Listed win on good ground last month at Navan. Can improve again.

Form: 231-1

(5)

Mister Trader^t1³⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: P J Smullen| T: D Bunyan & G O'Leary| OR: 103| BF

40/1

Maiden winner over 5f (yielding to soft) at the Curragh in March 2016, he got within 2½L of Caravaggio next time out, well below form in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot when last spotted and returns from 11 month break with a bit of rebuilding to do.

Form: 120-

(8)

Mr Scarlet²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Ronan Whelan| T: Ms S Lavery| OR: 96| C

25/1

More than 5L behind Khukri over 6f at Navan last time out, appearing to be a little out of his comfort zone at that level. Hard to see why the form would be turned around.

Form: 41-6

(4)

Pedestal^t1³⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Seamie Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 95

16/1

Won a 5f Tipperary maiden last May (good) before very credible third in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot in what was final 2yo start. Could have more to offer this term.

Form: 513-

(9)

Psychedelic Funk²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 103| BF| CD

10/1

Has won both starts over this C&D but facing a vastly different challenge against these rivals. Didn't show much in reappearance over 6f at Navan last month on good ground having gone off favourite. Seems to hold place claims at best in this.

Form: 11326-0

(6)

Gorane²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Declan McDonogh| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 100| D

14/1

Won her maiden on the AW at Dundalk over 6f last season and made a really pleasing start on turf when close second behind Khukri in 6f Listed Navan contest last month. Type to improve again.

Form: 61-2

Non-Runners

(1)

Tinder⁴³

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: Mrs J Harrington J: N G McCullagh

(3)

Virtudes²⁰

Weight: 9-0| Age: 3

T: W McCreery J: Billy Lee

Forecasts

Caravaggio (8/15), Khukri (10/3), Psychedelic Funk (10/1), Gorane (14/1), Pedestal (16/1), Mr Scarlet (25/1), Tinder (25/1), Virtudes (33/1), Mister Trader (40/1)

It will be a disappointment should CARAVAGGIO fail to extend his unbeaten sequence by landing this. He looked a colt with a big future in winning all four starts last summer and his trainer has earmarked this as a stepping stone towards Royal Ascot. Assuming he has wintered well, the others face a huge task. Khukri and Gorane are entitled to have claims of place money on their Navan run last month while Mister Trader is surely better than the form he was able to show at Ascot in June having gone off favourite for the Windsor Castle Stakes. Pedestal, who did run well in that Ascot contest, is also a notable runner.