DONCASTER 15:45 s3h1l

All 7 ran.

Time: 1m 42.19s Closing Sectional: (3f): 38.9s (98.5%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 113%, Betfair SP 99.5%

Nothing like the race that was anticipated, all eyes on the Royal Lodge 1-2 but neither involved in the finish, Deauville fading out of it and proving part of the problem for Foundation, who was locked up, no way out at the crucial stage, room at a after the field had soon converged to the stand rail, Port Douglas going a good gallop; meanwhile, Marcel - the outsider of the 7 - swept down the outside, not flattered as such, but it was an unsatisfactory race in some respects, chiefly the 'what if' factor surrounding Foundation, and the Derby picture remains wide open.

MARCEL (IRE) looked an optimistic participant to say the least but the fact he came here at all was a vote of confidence by a trainer who has won the race twice before, including with then-maiden Authorized at 25/1, Marcel a bigger price still but delivering a huge amount of improvement, if a case of him being in the right place at the right time, his performance needing to be contextualised, and that he was comfortably best on the day isn't necessarily reflective of the field; Marcel also came in for the ideal ride under the circumstances (by a rider recording his third straight win in the race), letting the others get on with it, then constructively brought wide with his effort, gathering momentum while Foundation was hemmed in, bounding ahead over 1f out, galloping on strongly to see off Johannes Vermeer, the only remaining threat by that stage; whether he has the class never mind the stamina for a Derby is doubtful, though he'll stay 1¼m, and the Group 1s get all the stronger next year, but this is a major distinction on his CV and a job very well done.

JOHANNES VERMEER (IRE) isn't necessarily back on the classics path despite the better placing than at Longchamp, only a marginal advance on form , and the fact he was clear in second said as much about the failings of the rest, not self-induced in Foundation's case, and Johannes Vermeer skirted any trouble like Marcel, unable to quicken like him over 1f out, staying on all the same, indicating the stamina that will be drawn out all the more next year, but it would be a surprise if Ballydolye don't have a handful of stronger Derby contenders come next June.

FOUNDATION (IRE) has the scope to make up for this next year, still the best of these in prospect, already a Group 1 horse to all intents and purposes, but missed the chance for a perfect season; same strategy as the Royal Lodge didn't work out this time as stalking Deauville brought problems, surrounded as the runners came stand side, no space to enact a Plan B, needed some luck and none came, the flanking first 2 away and gone by the time he eventually got any room in the last 1f, finishing with a full tank, the spring in his step suggesting the ground was no issue; he's well down the road to the classics, hard to see him troubling Air Force Blue in the Guineas but easy to see him winning a Derby trial, by Zoffany but having the likes of Scorpion and even Ardross further back in his family, and that he stays a mile so well as a 2-y-o adds to the hope he could get as far as 1½m.

PORT DOUGLAS (IRE) struck lucky in the Beresford, more likely than not to prove his career high, a reproduction of that form getting him only so far here in a higher league, positively ridden as at the Curragh but headed approaching the last 2f, essentially outclassed.

DEAUVILLE (IRE) closely matched with Foundation from the Royal Lodge but didn't have the excuse that one did for failing here, getting the perfect set-up, towed along by Port Douglas, but the writing was on the wall even as he edged ahead briefly 2f out, making very hard work of it, cheekpieces not having the desired effect, disappointing that he folded given how responsive he'd been in previous races, including his debut on testing ground; he could do better starting afresh next year, when his sights will be set on middle distances.

TONY CURTIS probably best to focus on his previous progress, found out here by the combination of the softer ground and higher class, the latter the bigger relevance at this stage, but he made a good fist of it - still challenging over 1f out - before succumbing, finishing tired having given plenty.

MENGLI KHAN (IRE) found this all too much too soon, significant that he was set the assignment but not near ready for it in the event, off the bridle by halfway, still very immature; he's got the timefigures to his promise from maidens, should develop well as a 3-y-o, well built and bred.