1st-NBY, £10,000, Mdn, 7-15, 2yo, 7fT, 1:26.60, g/f.
+ESCOBAR (IRE) (c, 2, Famous Name {GB}–Saying Grace {Ire} {GSP-Fr & MSP-Ire}, by Brief Truce), sent off at 16-1, missed the break before racing freely at the back of the five-strong group in the centre of the track. Making up ground easily passing halfway, the €105,000 GOFNOV foal and €280,000 GOFORB yearling who had been notably green in the preliminaries was cajoled to the front with a furlong remaining and stretched clear from there to score by two lengths from Devil's Bridge (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}). “I'd imagine Escobar won't get a [handicap] mark, so will have to go for a novice or stakes race,” trainer Hugo Palmer commented. “The [G3] Acomb [S. at York Aug. 17], [G3] Solario [S. at Sandown Aug. 20] and [Listed] Stonehenge [S. at Salisbury Aug. 19] all spring to mind, but there's no rush to decide.” Escobar, who is a half-brother to Ghetto Gospel (Ire) (Celtic Swing {GB}), SP-HK, $511,887, becomes the first winner for his first-season sire (by Dansili {GB}), who stands at the Irish National Stud at a fee of €4,000. His dam, who was third in the G2 Prix d'Astarte, is also responsible for the stakes-placed Bobbi Grace (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $8,632. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Westward Bloodstock Limited; B-Peter Evans (IRE); T-Hugo Palmer.
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