15:45 Sandown

Saturday 13 June 2020

All12:5513:3014:0514:4015:1515:4516:2016:50

British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes

Off time: 15:54 | Winning time: 2m 11.35s

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Selected odds by:

(5)

Diaboleo²⁷⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: P J McDonald| T: Ian Williams

100/1

Not disgraced in two starts for Freddie Head in France last spring at up to 1m4f but well beaten in September on sole start for current handler. Looks one to benefit from contesting handicaps in the future.

Form: 366-

(4)

Mister Merlin¹⁰⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: S Donohoe| T: E De Giles

250/1

Well beaten only start for Roger Charlton in 2018 and finished tailed off on first start for new connections at Kempton in February. Very hard to enthuse over.

Form: 9/0

(1)

Byzantine Empire¹²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: R Havlin| T: J & T Gosden| OR: 77| BF

9/4

Stable companion of Wirraway and not one of the yard's shining lights. Should win a race or two having placed on two of three starts last term. Official mark of just 77 suggests he might find one or two too good once again.

Form: 29-3

(8)

Father Of Jazz

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Callum Shepherd| T: M L W Bell

16/1

Kingman half-borther to a winning hurdler. Mixed messages on pedigree with plenty of stamina on the dam's side so will do well to get off the mark at the first time of asking over this trip.

Form:

(12)

Grand Canal²⁰¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: D C Costello| T: Tom Clover

66/1

Yard in cracking form of late but this gelded son of Australia would be a shock winner having shown little in two runs last autumn. May well do much better once he goes handicapping but has a lot to do here.

Form: 07-

(3)

Mambo Nights²⁸²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: P J Dobbs| T: R Hannon| OR: 86

11/4

Failed by just a neck to beat subsequent Group 1 winner and 1,000 Guineas third Quadrilateral at Newbury in August, and again came up against a good horse when third to Kenzai Warrior at Salisbury a month later. Solid chance if fully wound up.

Form: 8623-

(7)

Postileo

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: S De Sousa| T: R Varian

13/2

Australia colt who cost 500,000gns as a yearling and is half-brother to Irish Group 3 1m winner. Stable in good form and wouldn't have to be a world beater to go close on this racecourse debut.

Form:

(10)

Real Poet²⁶⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Louis Steward| T: Sir Michael Stoute

33/1

140,000gns as a yearling but this son of Poet's Voice was gelded after just one run having fared poorly when well beaten over 7f at Leicester in October. Too early to write him off but has plenty to find.

Form: 0-

(6)

Untold Story

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Jason Watson| T: S bin Suroor

15/2

Nicely bred Teofilo colt closely related to some decent performers. Hails from yard going along nicely at this early stage of the delayed campaign and have 18% strike rate at this track with their three-year-olds..

Form:

(9)

Wishing Gate

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Rob Hornby| T: W S KittowWS

150/1

Holy Roman Emperor gelding cost £42,000as a yearling and is out of Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks heroine Quiff. Bred to be decent but may need a few runs before showing us what he can having been gelded and undergone wind surgery.

Form:

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 20p in the pound

Non-Runners

(2)

Wirraway

Weight: 10-0| Age: 4

T: J & T Gosden J: W Buick

(11)

Valletta Sunset²⁶⁸

Weight: 9-1| Age: 3

T: Miss J Feilden J: Ryan Tate

Forecasts

Byzantine Empire (9/4), Mambo Nights (11/4), Wirraway (10/3), Postileo (13/2), Untold Story (15/2), Father Of Jazz (16/1), Real Poet (33/1), Grand Canal (66/1), Diaboleo (100/1), Valletta Sunset (100/1), Wishing Gate (150/1), Mister Merlin (250/1)

The form of MAMBO NIGHTS second to Quadrilateral last term stands out in this company and if he has trained on he may well lose his maiden tag. The unraced Untold Story could be a danger. He looks the part on paper and his yard is going well, while 500,000gns colt Postileo is another who has an appealing pedigree and could easily be good enough to go close first time out. Byzantine Emperor looks exposed and his stable companion Wirraway, despite a belated first racecourse appearance which is of some concern, could be the better of the Gosden pair.