THE Heights Hotel Handicap over a mile, three and a half furlongs, was one of the lower grade races run at the Killarney July Festival, but it yielded two beaten runners to keep an eye out for over the weeks ahead, writes Andy Stephens

Canon Law and Sir Trancealot set fierce fractions for the level, with the RaceiQ sectionals being a sea of red. The pair went “very fast” for the first three furlongs and then “fast” for the next two.

Sir Trancealot paid the price and dropped away to finish a distant last of 14, but Rory Cleary doubled down on Canon Law and kicked him into a clear lead with about half a mile to run.

It briefly looked like he might hang on, but the patiently-ridden Chicago Moon, perked up by first-time cheekpieces, collared him in the closing stages.

The Time Index of the race was a creditable 6.5, when the meeting average was 4.3, and Canon Law clearly has races in him, for all he probably would not be turning out quickly.

Meanwhile, the third home, Point Cartwright is worth keeping in mind, especially when upped in trip.

He struggled to keep up, still being last after a mile, but was fastest in each of the final three furlongs, completing them in 38.42 sec. The half-brother to Sir Erec was the only runner to dip under 39 sec and was 2 sec quicker than Canon Law, which equates to about a dozen lengths.

Francillon was slow away and raw when making his debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden, over a mile, but the penny dropped late on for the Juddmonte home-bred and he ended up splitting City Of Dubai and the odds-on Oklahoma.

The Frankel colt, trained by Ger Lyons, was fastest in each of the final two furlongs, completing them in a swift 23.11sec, and should soon be going one better.