Sir Maximilian and Stevie Donohoe get the better of Caspian Prince and Adam Kirby© Photo Healy Racing
Sir Maximilian lead home Caspian Prince in the Rockingham Handicap making it a one, two for English trained horses.
The winner, who is trained in Shropshire by Tim Pitt, won a valuable contest at the Chester Festival in May, and he finished a close-up third on his last start at Hamilton earlier this month.
Sent off an 11/1 chance this afternoon the son of Royal Applause raced in fourth in the early stages.
He was ridden from two furlongs out and improved into second on the outer with a furlong left to race.
He hit the front with 50 yards to go and kept on well from there to score by a length under Stevie Donohoe.
Caspian Prince finished second for Tony Carroll and Adam Kirby at 8/1, while My Good Brother was best of the Irish a further two lengths back in third under Ronan Whelan for Tom McCourt at 33/1. Lady Mega was sent off the 11/2 favourite and she completed the placings another half a length back in fourth under Robbie Downey (two pounds overweight) for Eddie Lynam. Masai was the 6/1 favourite overnight but he proved friendless with punters today and went off a 12/1 chance, finishing twelfth for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien.
Tim Pitt said afterwards: "He would have won the Wokingham (at Royal Ascot). I had him in such good form but he missed the cut. I did the silly thing to run him in a Group Three afterwards.
"We were very worried about the ground here. It’s not that he wants a cut its just that he lacks a little early on and if something gets a run on him he can’t quite get them back.
"He doesn’t get six furlongs but in a fast run five furlongs if he can keep tabs on them he is always going to pick them up.
"The only other runner I have had in Ireland was in the Goffs Million a few years ago and it finished stone last.
"He is in the Stewards' Cup (at Goodwood) but he won’t go there if it is rattling quick. The Ayr Gold Cup is his main target for the autumn."
STEWARDS REPORT
The Stewards enquired into possible interference 1 furlong out involving Shipyard (USA), ridden by G.F. Carroll, placed fifth, and Yulong Baoju ridden by F. Lynch, placed sixth, where it appeared Yulong Baoju suffered interference.
Evidence was heard from the riders concerned.
Having viewed the recording of the race and considered the evidence, the Stewards were of the opinion Shipyard had improved his finishing position in relation to Yulong Baoju as a result of the interference and so they amended the result to read.
Fifth: Yulong Baoju
Sixth: Shipyard
Furthermore, the Stewards were of the opinion the interference was accidental and so they took no further action.
L.F. Roche, rider of More Questions trained by Edward Lynam, reported to the Clerk of Scales that his mount lost action and was eased in the closing stages and was lame on pulling up.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
