14:20 Bath

Friday 19 April 2019

All13:5014:2014:5515:3016:0516:3517:05

Heed Your Hunch Conditions Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 14:35 | Winning time: 1m 1.9s

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Selected odds by:

(4)

Zulu Zander¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-6| J: A Kirby| T: P D Evans| D

10/11

Fulfilled Brocklesby promise by running away with a Leicester novice in a good time. Looked a bargain at €4,000 and the conditions of the race mean he gets away with just a 4lb penalty.

Form: 31

(1)

Album⁷

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Dane O'Neill| T: M Meade| BF

5/1

Clodovil colt whose price rose from €14,000 as a foal to £20,000 as a yearling and whose dam won over 5½f. Failed to fulfil market expectations at Newbury last week and likely the soft ground may have been a factor.

Form: 6

(3)

Contract Kid

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: S W Kelly| T: D M Loughnane

33/1

£18,000 yearling from the first crop of Betfred Sprint Cup winner G Force out of a dam who has produced three winners for 5f-1m. Trainer 0-40 with turf juveniles in past five seasons.

Form:

(2)

Dark Optimist^h1²⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Harry Bentley| T: P D Evans

14/1

15,000 gns purchase and half-brother to a couple of winning juveniles in Italy. Finished well behind Zulu Zander in the Brocklesby and the hood needs to yield immediate and dramatic results.

Form: 0

(5)

Don't Joke

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston

9/4

50,000 gns son of Slade Power and first foal of a mare who won twice as a juvenile including her debut. Stable have a 19% strike rate with this age group here and the market is expected to be informative,

Form:

(6)

Fact Or Fable¹¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Callum Shepherd| T: J S Moore

33/1

66/1 when down the field on debut and faces another tough test here. Makes little appeal on pedigree and trainer's 1-30 record here with this age group.

Form: 7

Non-Runners

(8)

Brown Eyes Blue¹⁴

Weight: 8-11| Age: 2

T: J S Moore J: Non Runner

(9)

Queens Road¹⁴

Weight: 8-11| Age: 2

T: W G M Turner J: Ryan While

(7)

Willa

Weight: 8-11| Age: 2

T: R Hannon J: S M Levey

Forecasts

Zulu Zander (10/11), Don't Joke (9/4), Album (5/1), Willa (13/2), Queens Road (12/1), Dark Optimist (14/1), Fact Or Fable (33/1), Contract Kid (33/1), Brown Eyes Blue (66/1)

Strictly judged on what we have seen then ZULU ZANDER is hard to oppose given the manner of his Leicester victory and a penalty which is hardly taxing. However, there are good reasons to fear Album given the support for him at Newbury when he showed speed to the distance before the soft ground took it's toll. Mark Johnston has made a good start with his turf juveniles. Don't Joke, his runner here, has a speedy pedigree and his dam won on her debut. Caution demands a market check, particularly as the yard's record with this age group here is 8-17 when going off at odds of 3/1 or less.