Naas Sunday review and replays

Coventry option for River Tiber

Stablemate and principal market rival Democracy was a non-runner in the opening Coolmore Stud Calyx Race leaving the way clear for River Tiber (2/9 favourite) to make it two from two.

Trainer Aidan O’Brien had won two of the three runnings of the five furlong contest with The Antarctic obliging 12 months ago and River Tiber could now head to Royal Ascot, as did last year’s winner who went onto finish seventh in the Norfolk Stakes.

Partnered by Ryan Moore, River Tiber – an impressive 10 length winner on debut – jumped well from the outside stall but had to be ridden to assert which he did in fine style, responding to his rider’s urgings to quicken clear and win cosily having momentarily looked in trouble (hit 2/1 in-running).

Tourist took second, finishing two and a half lengths adrift.

The winning trainer told Racing TV: “I think we did (learn more).

“Obviously delighted that we did (come here) just looking at him. He was very green through the middle of the race and Colin (Keane, jockey of Tourist) took them a very good, strong pace and obviously he won very easily on very soft ground the last day so it would have been a big difference coming from Navan going straight into Ascot, he could get into trouble because he might not have known enough.

“He would have learned a lot today. His feet would have had to have been much quicker today and that’s what would happen at Ascot so that’s why we came and we’re delighted there was a strong pace that he had to follow.

“I think so (that River Tiber will be stepped up in trip) and that was Ryan’s initial reaction when we asked him five or six and he said he preferred the Coventry. Usually what happens is we work them all together close to Ascot and then the lads decide what we want to do with them but that would be Ryan’s initial opinion at the moment.

“He’s smart. We ran a few horses that got beat early that we thought were nice and we gave them little breaks and they’re on the way back but he is a smart horse, he was always showing loads, doing his work very easy and always a danger of horses working with others and doing it easy is that they don’t learn a lot but that was what was important today, he will have learned a lot.”

River Tiber was cut to 9/4 (from 3s) by Sky Bet for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot with Paddy Power and Betfair Sportsbook quoting 11/4.

Cheeky success for Ladies Church

The fitting of cheekpieces helped Ladies Church (4/1) return to her best in the Sole Power Sprint Stakes.

Settled in behind the front-running raider Tees Spirit, Ladies Church picked up impressively when Ben Coen popped the question and quickened clear to record a three length success.

Moss Tucker chased her home with Lady Tilbury third.

It was a fourth career success from 12 starts for Johnny Murtagh’s filly who enjoyed the drop to Listed level after finishing in midfield in the Group One Al Quoz Stakes at Meydan when last seen.

Ladies Church was cut to a general 14/1 from 33s for the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“She reminds me a bit of Sole Power,” Murtagh said. “She’s very responsive, she’s always in-behind relaxed but when you do ask her she responds very quickly and she’s got that great turn of foot.

“Ben says even at home when she gets to the front she pulls up in front so we put the cheekpieces on her today and the race set up lovely for her today, it was a good pace, she relaxed early and you could pick her out as the winner a long way out. She did quicken up well and Ben said when the second came to her he couldn’t pull her up after the race.

“Delighted with that performance. We were hoping she could do that but it’s always nice to see them come and do it in a race like that.

“She was second in a Group Two out there (Dubai) and I thought she had a real chance World Cup night of hitting the board but she never got going, she got a bump out of the stalls, she was a bit awkward in the run but when we came back we gave her a little break and this was always the plan, here and then onto Ascot.

“They always go very fast in the King’s Stand. It’s a stiff five and I think that is what she likes; the faster they go, the better it will be for her. She travels very strongly off a fast pace and you’d be hoping she could improve a little bit from today, it was her first run back from Dubai. She’s a filly you can get ready, she puts her heart into her work, but we’d like to think that it’s the start of a big year for her, we always thought she was a Group One filly.”

Porta Fortuna shows sparkling turn of foot

All the money ahead of the Group Three Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies Sprint Stakes was for Ribchestina but the writing was on the wall for her supporters approaching the final furlong.

Ribchestina appeared to be travelling well but push soon came to shove with a furlong and a half to run as Porta Fortuna (8/1) swept to the front under Gavin Ryan.

It appeared as though the Curragh debut winner was going to win comfortably only for debutante Navassa Island to come home with a wet sail wide on the track and there was only a neck between the pair at the line.

Launch finished four and a half lengths adrift of the pair in third.

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