Most Improved comes good in Palace

Most Improved lived up to his home reputation in winning the St James's Palace Stakes.

Brian Meehan has made no secret of the high regard in which he holds his son of Lawman and the colt justified his billing to lay balm on a frustrating season.

The three year old had been an ante-post gamble for the QIPCO 2000 Guineas only to miss the race after a setback and then failed to get a run in a messy renewal of the French Derby just 16 days ago.

There was plenty of trouble in this mile Group One on the round course as well with The Nile breaking down badly on the turn for home, causing interference to any number of the field.

Kieren Fallon, however, had his mount in the perfect stalking position on the round course and missed the melee caused by the ill-fated colt and ran on dourly to narrowly prevail.

Hermival, third in the Guineas, bounced back to form after a poor run at the Curragh (from which he returned sore) to finish three parts of a length back in second with a further head back to the Frankie Dettori ridden Gregorian.

Born To Sea flew home from the rear of the field having been held-up, as did market leader Power whose connections sacrificed a low draw to adopt patient tactics but Joseph O'Brien was never able to get his mount into a challenging position.

Meehan said: "He was doing really good work (in the spring), he matured physically and today showed we were right.

"He's a lovely, big horse with lots of scope. He's just been a little bit unlucky this spring.

"He had a little bit of bone pain going through to his joints. It's pretty minor and we got good advice on how to manage it, but he's fine now.

"He ran in the French Derby where nothing went right and Kieren was pretty upset after the race when he got off.

"We thought about the Tercentenary, but the owner rang me and said "why don't we stick to the original plan and stay at a mile, he's in the race" and it made sense."

Meehan added: "Funnily enough, I did allow myself to think about the Sussex Stakes this morning.

"It's a maybe - who wants to be the one to beat Frankel?

"I've got to sit down and have a talk with the owners.

"The most important thing is that he's won the St James's Palace today."

Fallon said: "(In France) I got caught up mid-race and then he lost both his front shoes, I had to look after him after that.

"Brian brought him here and he's proved how good he could have been if we had him right for the Guineas, but that wasn't to be. This has made up for it today.

"He's a lengthener rather than a quickener but I had faith in him. I'd ridden work on him at home and know how good he is. He's proved it today.

"He's a beautiful mover, I remember the first time Brian put me on him. He's got a great attitude and he was only just beaten in the Dewhurst last year.

"If he can improve on this, he'll be hard to beat."

John Oxx added of Born To Sea: "He stayed on well like he did at the Curragh but not well enough.

"He's a good horse but not as good as his brother. We'll probably step him up to 10 furlongs now and there's a possibility of running in the Meld Stakes over nine furlongs next month."