'He'd have the class to go into it' - Futurity Trophy could be on the cards for impressive Isambard Brunel

The mile maiden on this card was won by Kingsbarns in 2012 before landing the Futurity Trophy and Isambard Brunel could try to emulate him after emphatically opening his account in the same race under Wayne Lordan.

Britain's final Group 1 of the year might well be on the agenda now for the son of Justify, who made every yard of the running to beat Red King by three and a half lengths after strong market support. He went off the 1-2 favourite, having been as big as 5-6 a few hours earlier.

Chris Armstrong, representing winning trainer Aidan O'Brien, said of a potential date at Doncaster later this month: "The trip would be bang up his street and he'd have the class to go into it. It'll just be down to ground.

"He can go with ease in the ground but, to go into a race like that there, he would prefer better ground. He's a typical Justify. He has plenty of size and strength and is a very good mover. Either way, he's a horse with plenty to look forward to for next year."

O'Brien has won the Futurity Trophy a record 11 times, most recently with Auguste Rodin in 2022.

Golden moment for Heffernan

Seamie Heffernan did his best Paul Daniels impression in the mile fillies handicap as he somehow managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat on Golden Ocean.

The well-backed 2-1 second favourite, who won a maiden at the track on her previous start, had a wall of horses in front of her inside the final furlong and looked to have nowhere to go.

However, Heffernan managed to get through the eye of a needle and he had a willing partner as she went on to beat Quadruple by half a length.

Winning trainer Michael O'Callaghan said: "She's gorgeous. Jim Ryan bought her as a yearling and she's an absolute oil painting. She's a beautiful, old-fashioned-looking filly and she's bred to look that way. She's out of a three-time Group 1 winner by Galileo. 

"She has a beautiful temperament and she's very enthusiastic. She's still relatively unexposed too. Seamie really likes her and we will look forward to her next year."

Sweet result for Oliver

Andy Oliver was responsible for the first two home in the 6f maiden when 7-2 shot Sweet Thing beat 125-1 outsider Keepcalmandsailon.

The trainer said of the winner: "Sweet Thing had a wee setback earlier on in the year so it took a while to get her out, but we always liked her. She travels very well and behaves very well. She had a very nice run at Down Royal."

Sweet Thing was the first leg of a double for Billy Lee, who timed his challenge to perfection on Positive Energy in the second division of the 1m2f handicap.

The 100-30 joint-favourite, trained by Willie McCreery, stayed on strongly to open his account at the eighth time of asking.

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