15:15 Naas

Saturday 8 May 2021

All13:0013:3514:0514:4014:5015:1515:5016:2517:00

Royal Ascot Trials Day May 16th Rated Race

Off time: 15:16 | Winning time: 2m 14.86s

(2)

Baton Rouge^t³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-11| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 94

9/4

Promising sort. 5/4 and tongue strap on for 1st time, career best when winning 12-runner maiden at Dundalk (8f) 38 days ago, well on top finish. Up in trip and should progress.

Form: 033-1

(8)

Ides Of August²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-9| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 92

7/1

Lightly-raced winner. Good sixth of 13 in handicap at Leopardstown (10f, good to soft, 20/1) 27 days ago, but others make more appeal here.

Form: 1597-6

(6)

Benaud^t²⁰³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-6| J: S M Crosse| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 90

11/1

Lightly-raced winner. Career best when winning 16-runner nursery at Leopardstown (8f, soft, 9/2). Off 6 months. Up in trip and he remains open to progress. Yard also saddles Ratib.

Form: 57041-

(9)

Catena Zapata^t1²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Chris Hayes| T: H De Bromhead| OR: 88

22/1

Winner at Dundalk in December. 10 lengths last of 8 to Bolshoi Ballet in Ballysax Stakes (50/1) at Leopardstown (10f, good to soft) 27 days ago. Tongue strap on 1st time.

Form: 71-38

(1)

Soaring Sky¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-3| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| OR: 86

4/1

Thrice-raced winner. 10/1, won 9-runner handicap at Limerick (11.3f, good) 14 days ago, suited by increase in trip. Enters calculations.

Form: 1-81

(4)

New Reality^t¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger

7/1

Lightly-raced winner. 16/1, career best when winning 10-runner maiden at Tipperary (12.4f, good to soft) 18 days ago. This is more demanding.

Form: 00-61

(7)

Ratib¹⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Declan McDonogh| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 85

10/3

Promising sort. Won 14-runner maiden at Dundalk (8f, 8/13) by ½ length from Bear Story, cosily. Off 169 days. Up in trip and he has to be taken seriously.

Form: 51-

Non-Runners

(3)

Maar¹³

Weight: 9-5| Age: 3

T: A McGuinness J: C J MacRedmond

(5)

Bear Story²⁷

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: M Halford J: Ronan Whelan

Forecasts

Baton Rouge (9/4), Ratib (10/3), Soaring Sky (4/1), Bear Story (11/2), Ides Of August (7/1), New Reality (7/1), Benaud (11/1), Maar (16/1), Catena Zapata (22/1)

RATIB built on the considerable promise of his debut over a mile at Dundalk in November when proving ½-length too good for Bear Story over the same C&D a fortnight later. This stiffer test promises to suit and he looks a decent prospect. Bear Story should again be on the premises, but Baton Rouge did the job well in a maiden last month and is feared most. Ratib's stablemate Benaud also has claims.