Godolphin

8 ran 1m21.50  
Owner: Godolphin

Rio de La Plata stood out on form and he duly took full advantage in what was a weakish race by Group 1 standards; the early pace seemed just fair, picking up smartly in the straight. RIO DE LA PLATA (USA), who'd already established himself as one of the top juveniles in Europe, didn't have to improve further to gain his first Group 1 success, doing so easily, picking up well for one smack, having had to wait for a run until the meandering Greatwallofchina drifted left off the rail halfway up the straight; connections wouldn't immediately confirm him for the Dewhurst Stakes, though it would be a huge disappointment if neither he nor his National Stakes conqueror New Approach (part-owned by Rio's team) made the line-up for that, as a clash between one of the pair (hopefully both) and Raven's Pass would make for a race to savour; looking further ahead, one of his team suggested that the Derby as well as the 2000 Guineas might be realistic objectives next season; however, his Argentinian pedigree isn't the easiest to read and the striking points about his perfomances this season have been a) his fluent action, which is unlikely to prove as effective on soft ground and b) a really sharp turn of foot; to our eyes, at least at this stage, he's a much more credible Guineas candidate than he is an obvious one for Epsom; finally, it's really pleasing to see the Godolphin team have a genuine candidate for a classic again. DECLARATION OF WAR (IRE), who'd missed the Somerville Tattersall Stakes due to the going being considered too firm, ran a good race for second, having every chance and battling on gamely to reverse Superlative Stakes placings with Hatta Fort; like that colt, this was his first race for more than 2 months and he's clearly returned from his break better than ever; even so, he's unlikely to prove up to winning at top level (still engaged in Dewhurst Stakes and Racing Post Trophy); the way he races suggests he'll get 1m. SHEDIAK (FR)'s headstrong nature isn't helping him at the moment, as in the Prix La Rochette, pulling hard early on, not surprisingly unable to contain the winner when the crunch came; judged purely on pedigree he should stay 1m, but to do so he really does need to learn to relax. HATTA FORT, even though he didn't quite confirm Newmarket form with Declaration of War, he clearly wasn't discredited, looking more than ready for 1m now, staying on towards the outer having been waited with. YOUNG PRETENDER (FR), when beating Shediak over course and distance last time, had taken most of the proceedings to pick up and he probably wasn't ideally suited by the way this race panned out, able to stay on at one pace up the straight; he too will be suited by 1m. GREATWALLOFCHINA (USA), despite 3 defeats in maidens, was presumably the Ballydoyle first string; however, for all he confirmed that status, he didn't look anything out of the ordinary, soon dictating before drifting left under pressure in the straight. MANASSAS (IRE), though second-last and never a threat having been waited with, was taking a big step up in class, not at all discredited from a pure form standpoint. MINNEAPOLIS, who'd shown just useful form in 5 races (all over 7f), winning a maiden at Gowran and a minor event at Dundalk, was unable to pick up once in line for home, slightly hampered at one stage as the winner made his move (made no real odds); at the moment, his stable have yet to unearth a colt with top credentials for the 2000 Guineas, Henrythenavigator and Lizard Island both some way shy of the best around.