Phoenix Stakes 2011

4.05 Curragh

Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (group 1) (2YO only)

Winner €110,200

Pick: Reply (each/way)

Frederick Engels: After bumping into smart sorts on first two starts, has quickly made up into prolific winner, following up Royal Ascot win with impressive turn of foot in July Stakes; This trip looks better for him than form rival Power so should go very close.

Gatepost: Showed himself useful when comfortable Folkestone maiden winner in April, and booked place here when showing sharp turn of foot to beat 4 previous winners at York; Better than fifth place in Coventry suggests, having switched sides to get to better ground, and rates a danger although he has some ground to make up on winner.

Lillbourne Lad: Backed off the boards on debut, same story again when stepped up into conditions company but unable to give weight to a more than useful horse; Impressive in two wins since, when running out wide margin winner of Listed race before then grinding out Group 2 win here and should go well for top 2yo team, albeit in deeper contest.

Parish Hall: Made a deep impression when only of only two horses good enough to catch subsequent Listed winner Requinto (subsequent winner Raphel Santi behind) on debut at Leopardstown; Creditable second back there in Tryos Stakes but well beaten and others preferred here.

Power: Showed a strong and professional attitude when coming home two lengths clear of fellow debutant (landed gamble) at the Curragh & same qualities again in attendance when landing Marble Hill Stakes last time, showing speed dropped in trip; Overhauled Roman Solider late on in Coventry Stakes and the one to beat here, although further may suit in time despite him being a 5 furlong winner.

Reply: £500,000 yearling who was too raw for the occasion when third in very smart conditions event but different horse although when thrashing his field (including subsequent Listed winner) here, never seeing another rival from the front; Should improve again from that and can take a big hand ion the finish.

Tough As Nails: Winner of the first juvenile race of the season here but lost the race through greenness (form worked out); That nothing compared to his 7 – length destruction of subsequent winner at Tipperary & then pushed Coventry Stakes winner to a short head here latest (Queen Mary fourth back in third); Had no answer to Lillbourne Lad despite being pushed wide however and unlikely to reverse that form.

After: Beneficiary of Ryan Moore at his best when wining maiden here and improved effort when finding only speedy Fire Lily too good in the Anglesey Stakes last time; will need to improve quite a bit to make an impact in this company.

La Collina: Defied her greenness when making an impressive debut at Limerick and while she built on that when pushing potentially high class Maybe all the way at Leoaprdstown, albeit getting a generous weight concession; Not to be dismissed out of hand but needs far more to get involved here.

VERDICT: An excellent race with not one runner who doesn’t deserve to be here. Defeat here would do Power’s Guineas chances no harm and it may be just that he’s better over 7 furlongs in future, which would see Federick Engles as the main form choice. It maybe that both meet their match in REPLY, who looked like he could hold his own at this level when an easy winner here in May and he could be an each/way steal with three places. Lilbourne Lad should be thereabouts.