Four Weekend Eye-catchers - 03/09/19

Our first eye-catcher of the weekend comes from The Curragh on Friday with the AP O'Brien trained MOGUL getting off the mark at the second time of asking.

Second on debut to Geometrical, a horse who placed in the Group 2 Galileo Irish Ebf Futurity Stakes next time out, Mogul was understandably sent off a short priced fav at 8/13 but the way the Galileo colt performed, he made those odds look huge.

Making all on the bridle, Ryan Moore pressed the go button two furlongs out and go is just what he did winning well by 3¼ lengths. He currently holds two Group 1 entries in the The Goffs Vincent O'Brien National Stakes at The Curragh and The Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket so he is clearly a type held in high regard by O'Brien.

The Solario Stakes was built up to be a close affair and it didn't fail to disappoint with the Cox and Kirby partnership striking gold once again with Dutch Art colt POSITIVE just managing to get the better of Qatar Racings KAMEKO.

Winner by by five lengths on debut at Salisbury in June and then a five lengths second behind superstar juvenile PINATUBO in the Qatar Vintage Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, Positive was sent off 4/5 favourite and despite hitting the front early on the run in, Kameko got his nose in front at one point but he then fell victim to the notorious Kirby drive as Positive just managed to get up on the line.

It's not often two horses in one race catch our eye but in this case they have. Positive's only career defeat has come at the hands of what looks to be potentially a horse of a life time in Pinatubo whereas this was Kameko's second appearance on a racetrack after his debut victory at Sandown, a race where second went on to win next time out.

Kameko holds just one entry at the moment and that's in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes at Newmarket whilst Positive holds an entry into the same race along with an interesting entry into the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes.

One of the shocks of the weekend came in the Listed Chester Stakes as the Mark Johnston trained VIVID DIAMOND stayed on the best to win at 7/1.

Simon Crisford's Frankel gelding OUTBOX was sent off as 11/8 favourite in the race but he couldn't stick with Vivid Diamond around the bend as the Cape Cross filly kicked on impressively to record a five length victory ahead of Persian Moon and a nine length victory ahead of Outbox back in third.

It was the horse's first step up to 1m 6f and she could have a quick turnaround with an entry into this weekends Garswood Handicap at Haydock over 1m 6f. Either way, she certainly looks set to be a good stayer in 2020.