Kool Kompany (right) battles with Toscanini (centre) and War Envoy

  PICTURE: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)  

Report: Naas, Monday

Alfred Nobel Rochestown (CG) Stakes (Listed) 2yo, 6f

KOOL KOMPANY showed admirable tenacity to hang on for victory from Godolphin’s Toscanini and Ballydoyle’s War Envoy, the odds-on favourite.

War Envoy, a Naas maiden winner in April, had been 7-1 second-favourite for the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot but was pushed out to 12-1 following an unexpected reversal.

Kool Kompany came in the other way, with BetVictor slashing his Ascot odds to 10-1 (from 20-1).

BetVictor also cut The Great War into 3-1 (from 7-2). However, the horse who finished runner-up to the Coventry favourite in his last outing at the Curragh, Bwana, could only finish sixth here, about five lengths behind the winner.

It was a fine performance from the Richard Hannon-trained 7-2 winner, ridden with strength by stable back-up Pat Dobbs.

Leading the field, he faced down the challenge of both Toscanini (7-1) and War Envoy (8-15f), who emerged from the field as the sole challengers for the victory.

Despite having plenty of time to make their attack on the front neither could find a way past the Hannon horse showing more fight than Carl Froch on the rail.

“He was keen through the early part of the race. He had to dig deep. He didn’t want to lose and has a great attitude. He just kept finding for me,” said Dobbs.

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