16:35 Leopardstown

Sunday 8 May 2022

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:0516:3517:0517:35

Derby Trial Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 16:41 | Winning time: 2m 8.25s

(4)

Atomic Jones²³⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons| OR: 104| C

11/1

10/1, won 10-runner Champions Juvenile Stakes at this course (8f, good) by head from Stone Age. Up in trip with more to offer in his bid to make it 3-3. Much respected.

Form: 11-

(7)

Duke De Sessa³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Chris Hayes| T: D K Weld| OR: 106| BF| C

5/1

Course winner who posted good 3¾ lengths third of 9 to Piz Badile in Ballysax Stakes at this C&D (good, 10/3) 36 days ago, conceding first run. Open to further progress, and needs considering.

Form: 3161-3

(1)

French Claim²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Billy Lee| T: P Twomey| OR: 107| D

11/4

Promising sort who opened his account impressively in 5-runner minor event (5/6) at Cork (10.1f, good to soft) 22 days ago, staying on strongly. Trainer going well. Solid claims with better still to come.

Form: 14-1

(3)

Glory Daze²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Ronan Whelan| T: A Oliver| OR: 98| D

18/1

Career best when winning 13-runner maiden at the Curragh (10f, good to soft, 9/2) 28 days ago, keeping on well. Yard having good spell but this is a difficult ask.

Form: 630-1

(2)

Great Max²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Leigh Roche| T: M O'Callaghan| OR: 105

66/1

Useful colt. First run since leaving Michael Bell when modest third of 5 to French Claim in minor event (16/5) at Cork (10.1f, good to soft) 22 days ago. Needs to bounce back.

Form: 35250-3

(5)

Manu Et Corde³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger| OR: 101| C

66/1

Useful colt who wasn't seen to best effect when eighth of 9 to Piz Badile in Ballysax Stakes at this C&D (good) 36 days ago, suffering a poor run. Course winner is no forlorn hope.

Form: 91452-8

(6)

Stone Age⁴⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: R L Moore| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 109| D

10/11

Progressed well as a juvenile, signing off with excellent second in Criterium de Saint Cloud. Easily landed the odds in 14-runner maiden at Navan (10f) on his return and a big player for yard among the winners.

Form: 32262-1

Forecasts

Stone Age (10/11), French Claim (11/4), Duke De Sessa (5/1), Atomic Jones (11/1), Glory Daze (18/1), Manu Et Corde (66/1), Great Max (66/1)

STONE AGE is fancied to continue Aidan O'Brien's sparkling recent run and gain his biggest win yet at the chief expense of the promising French Claim. Duke de Sessa is also firmly in the mix along with Atomic Jones in a most intriguing contest.