Timeform provide an overview of the key things to note on Monday.
Floral Maid looks well treated for nursery debut
Floral Maid stands out on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings in the Constant Security Serving Yorkshire Racecourses Nursery Handicap (14:05) and she is taken to improve further now handicapping.
She was a cheap purchase at €7,500 as a yearling and is a real mix on breeding, with stamina on the dam’s side of her pedigree, but she hasn’t looked short of speed in two starts over five furlongs at Beverley, filling the runner-up spot on each occasion.
Floral Maid was beaten just a neck by another newcomer on debut, the pair pulling clear of the third, who won next time to give the form a boost.
She was much shorter in the betting on the back of that promising effort last time, again pulling clear of the remainder with another promising newcomer, and she can be marked up for that effort given she was never far away from the strong gallop. This step up to six furlongs ought to bring about further improvement and an opening mark of 71 looks a lenient one – she’s 3lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings.
Well-bred Zhuri open to significant improvement
Zhuri is bred in the purple, out of a sister to the outstanding Frankel and herself a half-sister to smart Oaks runner-up Legacy Link, and she could have hardly shaped with more promise on her debut at Newmarket recently.
That race seems sure to throw up an above-average performer or two and Zhuri caught the eye with how powerfully she moved through her race before seemingly getting tired in the closing stages.
She has the Timeform Large P attached to her rating, denoting that she’s open to significant improvement, and the SPP Digital “Confined” EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes (14:25) looks an excellent opportunity for her to open her account before having her sights raised further.
Ridger is a ratings choice
Ridger had shaped well on his two previous starts at Ffos Las (looks strong form) and Leicester and he was well backed with Oisin Murphy taking over in the saddle when opening his account at Wolverhampton last week.
He took another step forward to get off the mark in clear-cut fashion, having to wait for a gap around two furlongs out, but finding plenty once in the clear and he was well on top at the line despite being carried to his left.
Ridger has started out in handicaps from a basement mark, and there should be even more to come from him (he’s a half-brother to a smart sprinter). He’s at least 8lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and this looks an excellent opportunity for him to follow up under a penalty in the Racing TV Handicap (19:45).
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