An open contest for the first juvenile Group 1 contest of the year with River Tiber having been rerouted to the Morny next Sunday. Depending on where you shop, three are vying for favourtism.

Adrian Murray’s, Bucanero Fuerte is one of them. He’s in and around the 3/1 mark. He was an easy winner of a Maiden on the first day of the season back in March. His next racecourse appearance was in the G2 Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot when he finished third to River Tiber and Army Ethos when beaten a length. He was then quickly turned out again this time taking the G2 Railway Stakes here from Unquestionable whom he beat a short head on Derby day. Kevin Stott will renew the partnership having ridden him the first twice with Rossa Ryan having been in the plate for the Railway. He’s accompanied to post by stable companion Launch, also owned by Amo Racing, with Gary Halpin booked. He’ll fulfill pace-making duties.

Unquestionable, another 3/1 shot, is the choice of Ryan Moore from a pair of Ballydoyle runners. He’s run three times, firstly coming up short to His Majesty, the other Balldoyle runner, and Valiant Force (subsequent winner of the Norfolk Stakes) on debut. He then beat Mr Saturday, due to run in the Maiden at 2.50 today, by 4¼L when taking his Maiden here before that defeat to Bucanero Fuerte in the Railway Stakes.

The third one at the head of the market at 3/1 is Donnacha O’Brien’s, Porta Funtuna. A filly, she’ll get three pounds from the colts. She’s unbeaten in three runs, a Maiden winner here, she followed up in the G3 Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas and then took the G3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, getting the better of Martrika, cosily, she franked the form when going on to win the G2 Airlie Stud Stakes here over Derby weekend. Oisin Murphy takes over from Frankie Dettori who rode her at Ascot.

Jessica Harrington’s, Givemethebeatboys, a 4/1 shot, won a Navan Maiden and then held on to win the G3 Marble Hill in a tight finish from Noche Magica and His Majesty. Reunited with Shane Foley (injured for Royal Ascot) he changed hands for £1.2m the day before the Coventry where he ran forth under Frankie Dettori beaten 1¾L by Riber Tiber but just ¾L behind Bucanero Fuerte.

Givemethebeatboys winning the Marble Hill at the Curragh

His Majesty will be partnered by Seamie Heffernan. He’s the most experienced in the field having had five runs already. He hasn’t added to his tally subsequent to his Maiden win however he has run well in pattern company. He ran third in the Marble Hill, was 2½L back in forth in the Norfolk, and was beaten by the same margin when third to the Railway. He travelled to France for the G2 Prix Robert Papin where he ran second beaten 4L by Ramatuelle, a Christopher Head trained filly who’d won a G3 prior to that.

Gaenari, with Gavin Ryan booked, another filly, is an outsider of the field. Four runs have yielded three second-place finishes, two of them, including last time out at Chantilly, have been at Listed level. Her Brazilian trainer, Deigo Dias is operating on the Curragh and sent a two-year-old to Goodwood last week to win a valuable Maiden at a big price.

It’s understandable the market can’t separate these.

There’s little between the two colts, Bucanero Fuerte and Unquestionable on the Railway run and Givemethebeatboys is therefore not far away given his Coventry run however the colts may find they’ll have to give second best to the filly.

Porta Funtuna looks like she’s a quality sprinter given how easily she won the Albany. She’s won on heavy, good, and good to firm. Those three pounds may well be the difference on ground forecast to be good to yielding.

Recommendation

Porta Funtuna 3/1 win