Sir John Hawkins set for Group Three Glory in Tyros Stakes

Aidan O’Brien has been mopping up the two-year-old events in Ireland recently and he is doubly represented in Thursday’s Tyros Stakes. Sir John Hawkins is joined by the unbeaten Expedition in the six-runner field for the Group 3 contest over seven furlongs.

Sir John Hawkins beat the useful Intensified on his debut at the Curragh and was expected to prove the best of O’Brien’s representatives in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot. However, the son of Henrythenavigator had no answer to the burst of acceleration from his stable companion War Command and had to settle for third.

The form of the Coventry has not stood up that well to date but he was still expected to make a bold bid in the July Stakes at Newmarket. Ridden by Ryan Moore, he never really threatened to get to the front and finished a close fourth behind Anjaal.

The application of blinkers for the first time and an extra furlong should bring about an improved performance. Expedition had to work hard to win his maiden at Limerick but will come on for the run.

The biggest danger to Sir John Hawkins is likely to come from hat-trick seeking Exogenesis who impressed when beating Friendship here last time out. The son of Dark Angel is highly regarded by connections and runs here in preference to a trip over the water to Ascot.

Jim Bolger’s Home School won his maiden at Roscommon before finishing fifth behind O’Brien’s Wilshire Boulevard at the Curragh. Dermot Weld’s Simple Love faded in the closing stages when fifth behind Wonderfully at needs to step up considerably on that effort to win here.

She had previously won her maiden impressively at Fairyhouse and any give in the ground may help her cause. The maiden Gone Viral completes the field and looks to be outclassed against a couple of these.