Amethyst Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 17:25 | Winning time: 1m 41.54s

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(5)

Celtic High King¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 92| CD

8/1

Galileo colt won maiden over C&D (soft; 25-1) in October before being outclassed in French Group 1 week later. Decent effort on reappearance in h'cap at Gowran Park (1m, good) but needs more here despite being much better off with winner So Suave.

Form: 618-4

(2)

Confidence High¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: W J Lee| T: A Oliver| OR: 85| C

16/1

Back-to-back winner of 7f handicaps at this track in five days last month; defying 6lb penalty in game fashion. Much more needed now jumping into pattern-race company for the first time.

Form: 8567-11

(1)

Dalvey^t¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: James J Doyle| T: D Hogan| D

22/1

Improved on second start to win a Gowran Park maiden (1m, yielding; 9-1) last month; must take another significant step forward to have a chance of further success in this line-up.

Form: 61

(4)

Masteroffoxhounds²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: S Foley| T: Mrs J Harrington| D

7/1

Ran twice without scoring for Aidan O'Brien last term but made winning reappearance on stable debut when 1L winner of Navan maiden (1m, good to firm) on latest start. Represents strong yard but this requires another leap forward.

Form: 35-1

(7)

New World Tapestry¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: J A Heffernan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 101

8/1

Won a Newmarket maiden in September (7f, good; 1-1f); was outclassed back there in the 2,000 Guineas last month but decent fifth (beaten 5½L) in Hampton Court Stakes (1m2f) at Royal Ascot since. This is an easier mission on paper.

Form: 418-385

(6)

Sinawann¹⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Ronan Whelan| T: M Halford| OR: 105| D

6/5

Curragh maiden winner in August last year (second start) and then good second over C&D behind Mogul in Group 2 event in September; encouraging reappearance sixth in Irish 2,000 Guineas last month and likely has leading say eased in class now.

Form: 512-6

(3)

So Suave¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Ben Coen| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 92| D

4/1

Improving sort is 2-3 having won Dundalk maiden (7f) in November and Gowran Park handicap (1m, good) 14 days ago on reappearance (Celtic High King fourth; 8lb better off now); stable in cracking form and further progress very likely up in class.

Form: 21-1

Forecasts

Sinawann (6/5), So Suave (4/1), Masteroffoxhounds (7/1), New World Tapestry (8/1), Celtic High King (8/1), Confidence High (16/1), Dalvey (22/1)

New World Tapestry will find this easier than the Hampton Court at Royal Ascot last time but so, too, will SINAWANN who ran a very encouraging race in the Irish 2,000 Guineas on his reappearance. The Kingman colt was second in a Group 2 over C&D last season on his second run and remains open to plenty progress here. The quartet of Confidence Is High, Dalvey, Masteroffoxhounds and So Suave bring winning form into this but, like Celtic High King, must improve in better company now.