16:00 Ripon

Monday 27 August 2018

All14:1514:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:45

British Stallion Studs EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy, 2018 Stakes (Listed)

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 1m 12.48s

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Selected odds by:

(6)

Barbill¹²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: J F Egan| T: M R Channon| OR: 104

8/1

Ran well in defeat at this level at Sandown (5f) and Newbury (6f) last month (good to firm). Outclassed in the Group 3 Molecomb at Goodwood, but beaten just a short neck in a Listed race at Deauville (5f, good to soft) last time. Improving. Claims.

Form: 204462

(7)

Kessaar^h²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 96| D

10/3

Made a promising debut at York (6f, good to firm) in May, before being well beaten in the Listed Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. Bounced right back with a very impressive win in a Windsor novice event (6f, first-time hood). Very interesting.

Form: 201

(3)

Life of Riley²⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: B A Curtis| T: K R Burke| OR: 101| C

10/3

Has done nothing but improve since his Hamilton debut, scoring here over 5f (good to firm) next time. Also went close in a Sandown Listed event last month, before a 2½L second in the Group 3 Molecomb last time. Claims.

Form: 514922

(2)

Neverland Rock²⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: P J Dobbs| T: R Hannon| OR: 104

9/4

Won 7f Newmarket novice event (good to firm) in June. Far from disgraced when 4¼L third in the Group 2 Superlative Stakes back over that C&D last month. Improved again when dropped to 6f in Group 2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood latest. Serious player.

Form: 5136

(1)

Sporting Chance²⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: S De Sousa| T: S & E Crisford| OR: 101| D

6/1

Scored on debut in a Wolverhampton novice event (6f, AW) in May and has improved with each run since, despite not adding to that. Finished 1L behind Neverland Rock in Group 2 Richmond Stakes last time. Enters calculations.

Form: 1257

(5)

Sunsprite²²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: S W Kelly| T: R Hughes| OR: 93| D

10/1

Has completed a hat-trick in novices' and more recently a conditions event at Chester (6f, good). Entitled to have a crack at this level, but needs further significant improvement to be completing a four-timer here.

Form: 5111

(4)

Gypsy Spirit¹⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 8-12| J: J Mitchell| T: Tom Clover| OR: 92

20/1

Debut winner at Windsor (5f, good) in April. Has improved since then and went close in a Newmarket handicap (6f, good to firm) two starts ago. Beaten 4L when upped to this grade at Newbury (5f) recently, so more needed.

Form: 133734

Non-Runners

(8)

No Lippy¹²

Weight: 8-12| Age: 2

T: C & M Johnston J: P J McDonald

Forecasts

Neverland Rock (9/4), Life of Riley (10/3), Kessaar (10/3), Sporting Chance (6/1), Barbill (8/1), Sunsprite (10/1), Gypsy Spirit (20/1), No Lippy (20/1)

With the exception of Bathwick Bear's 16-1 win for David Evans in 2010, nine of the last 10 winners of this have returned an SP of 9-2 or shorter, and we can probably narrow this down to the top five on the racecard. Barbill is entitled to respect, Neverland Rock looks to have the best form on the board so far, which also brings Sporting Chance into the reckoning, while Life Of Riley cannot be ruled out. However, KESSAAR is forgiven his previous attempt at this level in the Windsor Castle at Royal Ascot and, after a visually very impressive success at Windsor last time, he looks well up to winning this on route to better things.