15:55 Bath

Friday 26 May 2017

All13:4014:1014:4515:2015:5516:3017:0517:35

British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 15:57 | Winning time: 1m 9.02s

(7)

Diamond Pursuit³¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: Finley Marsh⁽⁷⁾| T: J Hughes

16/1

Off the mark at the second time of asking when winning over an extended 5f at Brighton (good-to-firm) last time. Had earlier been beaten 1¾L into fifth at Wolverhampton. Interesting runner in this.

Form: 51

(3)

Bin Daahir

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Callum Shepherd⁽³⁾| T: C Hills

8/1

Unraced Exceed And Excel colt purchased for £100,000 last August. Dam an unraced half-sister to useful performers Beachfire and Joviality. Likely to play a leading role for a yard with a 31% strike-rate with their two-year-old's this year (5/16).

Form:

(8)

Erastus¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Charles Bishop| T: M R Channon

33/1

Started a big price and beaten 12L into sixth in a seven runner maiden at Lingfield (good-to-soft) over 5f on debut two weeks ago. More needed if he's to figure here.

Form: 6

(5)

Last Page¹¹

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

11/2

Twice beaten a head over 5f at Doncaster (good-to-soft) and here (firm) on first two starts. Bucking and kicking soon after leaving the stalls and unseating his rider at Windsor last time.

Form: 22U

(2)

Prince of The Dark

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: A Kirby| T: C G Cox

7/4

Unraced son of Lethal Force. Dam a winner over sprint distances and a half-sister to useful two-year-old sprinter Haikbidiac amongst others. Worth a check in the market on debut.

Form:

(6)

Qaaraat¹⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Dane O'Neill| T: E A L Dunlop| BF

11/4

Acclamation colt and cost 200,000 gns as a yearling. Best effort in two outings to date came when finishing 1½L third of six over 5f at Newmarket (good-to-firm) earlier this month. Likely to run well again here.

Form: 43

(9)

Sunbreak

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: L Morris| T: C & M Johnston

8/1

Unraced son of Dawn Approach and a half-brother to Group 2-placed juvenile Vocational. Dam a Group 1 winner as a two-year-old and yard have a 20% strike-rate with their two-year-old's on turf this season (6/30).

Form:

Rule 4

Rule 4 applies to all bets - deduction 5p in the pound

Non-Runners

(1)

City Gent

Weight: 9-2| Age: 2

T: R M Beckett J: Martin Lane

(4)

Zalshah⁴²

Weight: 9-2| Age: 2

T: R Hannon J: P J Dobbs

Forecasts

Prince of The Dark (7/4), Qaaraat (11/4), Last Page (11/2), Sunbreak (8/1), Bin Daahir (8/1), City Gent (8/1), Zalshah (14/1), Diamond Pursuit (16/1), Erastus (33/1)

Trainer Charles Hills took this event in 2016 and he can follow up in this years renewal with the newcomer BIN DAAHIR. The selection is related to a couple of useful performers and his trainer has a good record with his two-year-old's so far in 2017. The experienced Last Page unseated his rider early on last time out and can finish second assuming that experience has had no ill-effects while Qaaraat was a beaten favourite at Newmarket on his second start last time out and can claim third for a second time.