Darley EBF Novice Stakes (GBB/GBBPlus Race)

Off time: 15:45 | Winning time: 2m 30.69s

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Selected odds by:

(5)

Stem³⁰⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-10| J: S M Levey| T: R Hannon

5/2

Expensive breeze-up purchase made a successful debut when landing a 7-runner novice at Newbury (7f, soft, 5/2) in September, finding plenty for pressure and shaping as though he'd be suited by further. Carries a penalty over this longer trip on return but remains open to improvement.

Form: 1-

(2)

Arabian Poet²⁷⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: D C Costello| T: C Appleby| BF

7/2

Makes plenty of appeal on paper but yet to look anything out of the ordinary, beaten favourite when fourth of 7 in maiden at Newmarket (10f, soft, 15/8) in October. Has been gelded in the interim and now tackles a longer trip on his reappearance. In excellent hands and too soon to write off yet.

Form: 74-

(4)

Blue Martini

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: D Nolan| T: D Menuisier

22/1

€46,000 foal, Persian King gelding. Half-brother to 3 winners, including 1m/9f winner Lady Day and winner up to 10.5f Maximus, both useful. Mam unraced half-sister to top-class winner up to 1½m Treve. Certainly of interest on pedigree but has been gelded prior to his belated debut.

Form:

(3)

Codiak^b1

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Callum Rodriguez| T: E Bethell

11/1

€78,000 yearling, Make Believe gelding. Half-brother to 2 winners, notably useful winner up to 1m Raven's Cry. Hardly a positive that he's been gelded/wears blinkers for his racecourse bow and (despite going close) his yard have yet to have a debut winner this season.

Form:

(1)

The Cursor³⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Jason Watson| T: A M Balding| OR: 85

6/5

400,000 gns Frankel colt who left autumn debut behind when narrowly denied on reappearance at this track (10.2f) in March. Outclassed in the Blue Riband at Epsom prior to probably being unsuited by quick conditions when pitched into a top handicap at Royal Ascot. Strong claims back in a novice.

Form: 5-270

Forecasts

The Cursor (6/5), Stem (5/2), Arabian Poet (7/2), Codiak (11/1), Blue Martini (22/1)

A valuable novice can go the way of THE CURSOR who was only narrowly denied at this course on reappearance and was likely unsuited by the quicker conditions when pitched into a top handicap at Royal Ascot last month. He can get off the mark back on a more forgiving surface. Stem carries a penalty for his successful debut over 7f at Newbury last September but could be open to improvement over this markedly longer trip, while the well-bred Arabian Poet may prove best of the rest.