St Mark's Basilica gets Heffernan's blessing

The 4/7 favourite St Mark’s Basilica looked in trouble a furlong from home in the 6f maiden for 2-year-olds but the Siyouni colt found a bit more racing up to the line to beat Loch Lein by a length and a quarter.

The winner’s stablemate Duke Of Mantua caught the eye keeping on into third, just another nose away.

The Aidan O’Brien-trained winner had finished fifth when sent off favourite for the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes at this course earlier in the month, and was getting off the mark on his third start.

He’s a half-brother to last year’s 2,000 Guineas winner Magna Grecia.

Winning rider Seamie Heffernan said: “He had a very good run in a Group 1 and was basically a steering job.

“I'd say there is a high chance that he's going to get further than six furlongs. I liked him.”

Additional reporting by Gary Carson