Poet led, strongly pressed and joined inside final furlong, led again and stayed on best close home

Kargali towards rear, progress 2f out, 3rd under 1 1/2f out, challenged under pressure and disputed lead inside final furlong, headed and kept on same pace close home

Mutqan tracked leaders, 4th from 1 1/2f out, soon no impression under pressure, kept on same pace

Angels Story chased leaders, closer in 2nd from 1 1/2f out, no impression under pressure and kept on same pace from 1f out

Kaprun tracked leaders, dropped to 5th and kept on same pace under pressure from under 1 1/2f out

Spanish Cross mid-division, 6th over 3f out, no impression under pressure and kept on same pace from under 2f out

Nobunaga dwelt, towards rear, kept on without threatening from 2f out

Crossdresser tracked leader in 2nd, 3rd over 2f out, soon lost place and no extra

Jettymarc towards rear, no danger and kept on same pace from 2f out

So Much Commotion mid-division, 7th over 3f out, no impression under pressure from under 2f out

Double Parked dwelt, towards rear for most, never a factor

Chaparro towards rear for most, no danger from under 3f out

Jackman towards rear, no extra from 2f out

Distant Drummer dwelt, always towards rear

Polka Dot chased leaders, ridden and weakened from over 3f out

Claudio tracked leaders, ridden and weakened from over 3f out, eased from over 1f out, tailed off

This maiden contained eight newcomers but it was the experienced POET who came out on top to justify favouritism. The winner had reached the frame in his two outings at the backend last year including when fourth to his highly regarded stable companion Jupiter Pluvius over 6f on his debut here last October. The Pivotal colt was encountering these extremely testing conditions for the first time, and forging to the front over two out, kept on to hold newcomer Kargali.

Kargali, a half-brother by Invincible Spirit to Group 3-winning juvenile Karasta, was well fancied to run a big race but his inexperience made the difference in the end. He should improve from this especially when he encounters better ground.

It was a similar story for Jim Bolger’s Galileo filly Angels Story who struggled in this testing ground with Kaprun, closely matched with Mutqan on running at Galway last September, another to prove ineffective in these conditions.

Spanish Cross, a daughter of Cape Cross out of a winning Hernando mare, never got in a blow at the business end. [BF]

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