Tom Eaves© Photo Healy Racing
Vandeek lost his unbeaten record as Inisherin ran out an impressive winner of the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.
Sent off the 8-11 favourite, Vandeek won each of his four juvenile starts, including Group One glory in both the Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes.
However, he was clearly toiling approaching the closing stages of the six-furlong heat with Inisherin, who finished unplaced in the 2000 Guineas last time, well in control for Tom Eaves.
After racing prominently, the 9-2 shot had plenty in reserve to run out a three-and-three-quarter-length victor over 40-1 shot Orne, with Vandeek the third-placed horse.
Inisherin does not hold an entry in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot, although he can be supplemented for the race at a cost of £46,000, with Coral making him the 4-1 favourite for that contest.
Eaves said: “I was always in my comfort zone. He’s a very good horse and obviously that makes my life easy.
“He’s run really well in the Guineas, that was a solid run, and you always think dropping back to sprinting will he be quick enough, but Kevin was always very confident he was.
“He’s only had four starts so we’re only just getting to know him and he’s only finding his feet. He’s got plenty of speed and there will be plenty of options.
“It’s great to be involved with these good horses, I’m very thankful.”
Amy Ryan, daughter of trainer Kevin, said: “He’s got a great mind on him and that opens up so many more options.
“He’d have to be supplemented for the Commonwealth Cup, but I haven’t spoken to anyone yet so I don’t know what the plan is. We just need to get him home and make sure he’s OK and see how he comes out of the race.
“We’ve always thought loads of him but he’s just so laid back. We could have started him off over seven earlier in the year and he ran a blinder in the Guineas, but he’s just got so much natural speed and having gone and done that today, he’s got options.
“It’s nice to have another good sprinter coming through because we’ve obviously had the likes of Brando, Glass Sippers and Hello Youmzain and you miss them when they retire.
“Physically I thought he stood out today and he’s got such a fantastic attitude.”
Ed Crisford, who trains Vandeek jointly with his father, Simon, expects plenty of improvement.
“It looked like he was a bit fresh early on. He travelled super in the race but he just got tired in the last furlong in the ground,” he said.
“All these horses had already run, the winner had run well in the Guineas so was super-fit but on that ground, James (Doyle) just felt the last furlong was a long way home.
“But, we’ve got him out now, we’ll keep going with the plan, see how he is and as long as he’s OK, we’ll head for Ascot.
“It was a shame he’s been beaten obviously, but these things happen and we’ll keep on pointing towards Ascot and I’m sure he’ll come on a hell of a lot for the race today.
“It’s testing, sticky ground and even if you’ve gone on it before, it was his first run of the year and James didn’t want to give him a very hard race.”
