Room Service
Room Service did well to keep on as well as he did to take second place behind Quinault in the Group 3 Criterion Stakes at York on Saturday. This is a race that was dominated by Quinault, who got out in front from early, set a fast pace and wasn't caught. Room Service was seventh of the eight runners early on, and he came under a ride at the top of the home straight. Quinault had a nice break on his rivals, and he did well to last all the way to the line, given the fact that he went fast from early. He is always a horse to be feared at York, and he is more effectively on easy ground. Perhaps he was assisted by the tailwind here, but he is also a horse who might be under-rated next time. Either way, Room Service did well to pass every other rival. He made ground on the near side from the three-furlong marker, just getting up for second place in front of Paborus and Lethal Levi close home, and closing to within a length of the winner by the time he got to the winning line.
Kevin Ryan's horse shaped well on his debut this season in the Group 3 John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock at the end of May, and this was a step forward from that. Importantly, his two runs this season so far have been on good ground, but his three outstanding runs last season were all on soft ground. They were all over six furlongs, but he stayed the seven-furlong trip here well, and that opens up more options for him. He holds an entry in the Group 3 Minstrel Stakes at The Curragh on Irish Oaks weekend, and he will be of interest if he takes his chance in that, especially if there is some cut in the ground.
York, 28th June 2025
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