16:40 York

Saturday 17 June 2017

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

Reg Griffin Appreciation ebfstallions.com Maiden Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 16:40 | Winning time: 1m 13.82s

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Selected odds by:

(8)

Arbalet

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: James Doyle| T: H Palmer

9/4

€370,000 foal and a half-brother to winners Jally (5½f-1m inc at two) and Tamga (1m/1m1½f), out of a 7f 2yo winning half-sister to the useful 6f winner Mizaah out of 6f 2yo Listed winner, from the family of Indian Ridge. Nice starting point here and plenty to go on in his pedigree. Stable 1-7 plus three placed with turf 2yos this season.

Form:

(6)

Dark Freedom

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: David Probert| T: C Hills

14/1

£85,000 yearling. Dam (placed over 6f at two) is a half-sister to 5½f Group Two juvenile winner Ocean Ridge, 6f 2yo winner Polar Circle and 7f Listed winner Fokine out of 6f 2yo Group Three winner. Lovely pedigree from which to launch a 2yo campaign and almost half of yard's turf juveniles have won/made the frame this time so should go well.

Form:

(4)

Don Pepe

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon

6/1

57,000 gns foal who then made €100,000 at a recent breeze-up sale. Half-brother to four winners from 6f-1m and from a stable whose two-year-olds have traditionally been strong and that is also in decent form at present. Likely to give a good account.

Form:

(5)

International Man

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: J Garritty| T: R A Fahey

13/2

72,000 gns yearling and a half-brother to four winners at up to 7f, including Galtymore Boy (Listed-placed 5f-6f as a 2yo), Cadeaux Power (6f AW/7f), out of a 5f 2yo-winning mare. Grandam a 7f winning half-sister to 5f Group Two winner Mind Games. Another lovely pedigree on the page from a yard whose turf juveniles are at 20% this season.

Form:

(3)

Knockout Blow²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: S De Sousa| T: C & M Johnston

11/4

Improved for his debut here last month (5f, soft) when stepped up to this trip at Chester (good to firm) last time. Should be capable of taking another step forward today and looks the best of those with experience.

Form: 72

(7)

Knowing Glance

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey

6/1

€52,000 foal who then cost 65,000 gns as a yearling. Closely-related to Spanish 6f 2yo winner Or Star, half-brother to Polish 5f winner Masteritsia. Dam won over 5f and is full-sister to useful 7f-1m3f winner Ihtiraz, half-sister to 1m7f Group Three winner Samsaam. Yard's first strong on jockey bookings and should go very well.

Form:

(9)

Astraea¹⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: Nathan Evans⁽³⁾| T: M & D Easterby

10/1

Belied her 20-1 SP when a 2½L third of 12 on debut at Redcar (6f, good) last month. This looks tougher on paper, but no reason why she can't improve.

Form: 3

(1)

Cathie's Dream²³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: P Mulrennan| T: N Wilson

33/1

33L last of eight on debut at Catterick (5f, good to firm) last month and will need to raise the bar several notches to compete today. Step up in trip may help with that.

Form: 8

Non-Runners

(2)

Shaheen⁹

Weight: 9-5| Age: 2

T: J & S Quinn J: P Makin

Forecasts

Arbalet (9/4), Knockout Blow (11/4), Knowing Glance (6/1), Don Pepe (6/1), International Man (13/2), Shaheen (7/1), Astraea (10/1), Dark Freedom (14/1), Cathie's Dream (33/1)

An interesting maiden where Knockout Blow will be popular given that he has the best form on the board. He may well win at the third time of asking, but the most eyecatching newcomer here is DARK FREEDOM, who hails from a yard whose two-year-olds are in cracking form and there is plenty in his pedigree to suggest that he can make an exciting debut. The expensive Arbalet and Knowing Glance should both be capable of giving a good account, while Don Pepe is another to check out in the market.