Reporter: James Flaherty
The stranglehold of Ballydoyle over the Classic trials was broken with William Haggas emerging victorious thanks to Maltese Cross. In a race run at a stop-start gallop, they were much quicker late on than the fillies half an hour earlier, even though they were marginally slower overall. The front pair were quick over the final half mile of the contest, as the pace lifted at the four-furlong pole and they were able to sustain it into the final furlong, after others had cried enough.
showed a willing attitude here and not for the first time. He kept finding in the closing stages, to just get the better of Bay of Brilliance after a protracted battle. He settled in third for much of the race and as they turned for home, he came around the leaders to challenge on the outside. In the final two furlongs, it was down to which one of the pair would see it out and Maltese Cross put his head down and ran to the line. His pedigree suggested he would stay and he may even appreciate a stiffer test than this. I’m not sure if he has the turn of foot to win a Derby at Epsom, but he is thoroughly likeable and could certainly be a player in a Leger later in the year or even develop into a Cup horse next season. He deserves to take his chance at Epsom after this effort though.
ran a similar race to the winner, although he made his challenge on the far rail after he got a lovely gap to slip through. It is hard to tell with the camera angle, but I don’t think he ever quite got his head in front and if he did it was only momentarily. It is certainly not the case that he shirked the battle though and he ran all the way to the line too, putting distance between himself and the third home. The fact that it was his seasonal return may give some hope to connections that he might possibly reverse this form later in the season. While Ralph Beckett felt he was “ready to run”, he did suggest improvement would be likely.
saw the first two pull well clear of him in the closing stages here. He got closer to Maltese Cross last season over a mile and that combined with this being his third run this season suggests that he may not be improving at the same rate as the winner here. This may be the limit of his ability for now and he might struggle to win in this company.
was the latest from team Appleby to disappoint. Having looked above ordinary in a Newmarket novice last time to take his unbeaten record to two, he didn’t look anywhere near as good this time. It could be the better rivals of course, but I feel like the horses just aren’t finishing out their races. Maho Bay travelled okay here but found very little when asked for effort.
failed to build on his reappearance at Newmarket and found little when asked for effort. He doesn’t seem to have progressed from two to three.
led early but weakened tamely in the home straight to finish last of six.
