Air Vice Marshal finds one too good

Birchwood produced a smart performance to take the Superlative Stakes at Newmarket.

Always to the fore in the hands of the in-form James Doyle, the Godolphin-owned colt led heading into the final two furlongs and despite drifting to his left, he had enough in the tank to hold market leader Air Vice Marshal by a length.

The Richard Fahey-trained winner (7-1) was bouncing back after being beaten at odds-on in Ireland last month, scoring in a two-year-old course record. Tony Curtis finished to good effect in third, another neck away.

Doyle said: "I let him go at the two and he just wandered a bit late on. He travelled into it really well and put the race to bed nicely, he just had a look late on. He has a lot of speed, six or seven (furlongs) is fine, but seven is probably as far as he wants to go at the minute."

He added: "I'm having a fruitful time of it lately, I'm getting on some quality horses and they're all coming at once."

Fahey said: "James said he was in front too soon, but he quickened up at the two and quickly put the race to bed. He just got a bit lonely out in front as it's a big, open space.

"We'll speak to John (Ferguson) and see where he goes, but he has entries in the Gimcrack and the National Stakes.

"His mind wasn't on the job in Ireland, but today he was a gentleman and we're back where we thought we were with him."

Aidan O'Brien said of Air Vice Marshal: "It was lovely ground and there are no excuses. He was still a little bit green off the bridle, but he will come on for the run.

"We will look to Goodwood and he should progress well for it."

Richard Hannon was delighted with the effort of Tony Curtis close home, saying: "Hughesie (Richard Hughes) really likes him and he will get a mile. The horse is very similar to Toormore and for me, he is the horse to take out of the race.

"We will give him a break and look at the Royal Lodge at the end of the year. He is a very good horse, as time goes on he will get better."

Hugo Palmer was equally thrilled with fourth home They Seek Him Here: "I am delighted with that performance and Pat (Smullen) said he feels like a serious horse. The ground was probably a bit too quick for him and he only quickened up when they met the rising ground.

"He will stepped up to a mile now for races like the Royal Lodge Stakes and the Racing Post Trophy. He is a very good horse."