Bahrain International Ballyroan Stakes (Group 3)

Off time: 15:00 | Winning time: 2m 36.37s

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Selected odds by:

(2)

Nickajack Cave⁵³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: Gary Carroll| T: G M Lyons| OR: 109| C

15/8

Better than ever when landing Listed contest over 1m6f here in June; closing well from the rear to pick off Twilight Payment (won Group 3/2 races over same C&D since). Entitled to be right there again over this shorter trip.

Form: 2553-41

(5)

Pondus³⁰

Age: 4| Weight: 9-10| J: S M Crosse| T: J P O'Brien| OR: 107| D

11/10

UK import; second on stable bow in Listed Limerick event and decisive winner since at Roscommon (1m4f, heavy; 6-4f) in same grade; this is tougher on paper.

Form: 2239-21

(6)

Sea The Lion²⁶

Age: 9| Weight: 9-10| J: Rory Cleary| T: J P Fahey| OR: 104| CD

33/1

2018 C&D winner; three times a winner that year and placed in York's Ebor off 104. Went close in big-field h'cap at the Curragh on return last season before poor showing in York Group 3. Decent return over C&D last month and big day for him now.

Form: 113/27-4

(4)

Fresnel¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-7| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J Davison| OR: 99

22/1

Daughter of Sea The Stars; hasn't won since Dundalk debut in February 2019 but has often run creditable in pattern-race company since. Needs more to be landing this one, however.

Form: 6440-29

(3)

Mythical³³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Wayne Lordan| T: A P O'Brien| OR: 104

9/2

Camelot colt has only a Gowran Park maiden (1m, soft; 9-4jf) to show from six starts; odds-on defeat in Curragh Group 3 (1m2f) on seasonal return and since down the field as 100-1 chance in Epsom Derby. Handy 3YO allowance but this is demanding.

Form: 6143-50

Non-Runners

(1)

Rakan¹⁴

Weight: 9-10| Age: 4

T: D K Weld J: O J Orr

Forecasts

Pondus (11/10), Nickajack Cave (15/8), Mythical (9/2), Rakan (6/1), Fresnel (22/1), Sea The Lion (33/1)

Hard to rule out any of the sextet here but NICKAJACK CAVE was impressive in sweeping through the field to win in Listed company over 1m6f here in June; an effort well-advertised since by the runner-up scoring successive wins at Group-race level. Ger Lyons' excellent summer can continue with victory here; though Rakan, Pondus and the three-year-old Mythical can give him concerns.