15:20 Wolverhampton

Friday 11 August 2017

All13:5014:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:5017:25

Renault All New Koleos Maiden Stakes

Off time: 15:21 | Winning time: 2m 38.9s

(9)

Bumble Bay^h,t²³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-12| J: L P Keniry| T: R Stephens

33/1

Winning hurdler and also landed a bumper as a 4yo. Makes a belated debut on the Flat and it will be surprising if a few of these are not too speedy.

Form:

(8)

Hazamar^t⁴⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Ben Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: Mrs S Leech| OR: 70

25/1

Won a Ludlow juvenile hurdle in April, but has been out of form over timber since and now reverts to the Flat for his sixth race on the level. All those outings came when he was trained in Ireland and it is hard to see him shedding his maiden tag on his first Flat start in England.

Form: 623/99-5

(6)

Nelson's Touch¹⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-12| J: Fran Berry| T: D J Coakley

7/1

Useful bumper performer who was placed in four such races before finishing a creditable 10th of 22 to the high-class Fayonagh at the Cheltenham Festival. Makes his debut in Flat company, but this trip may be on the sharp side.

Form:

(3)

Sundance Boy²³²

Age: 8| Weight: 9-12| J: R Ffrench| T: G Fierro

100/1

Little form in bumpers and novice hurdlers and tries his hand on the Flat at the age of eight. Impossible to fancy on what he has shown so far.

Form:

(1)

The Last Melon⁸

Age: 5| Weight: 9-12| J: Racheal Kneller⁽⁵⁾| T: J Bennett

150/1

Cut little ice in bumpers and a novice hurdle before running in Flat company on his last two starts. Started at three-figure odds in both and ran accordingly. No reason to think much will change.

Form: 96

(7)

Abjar⁶⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: R Kingscote| T: Sir Michael Stoute| BF

6/4

Improved on Chelmsford debut over 1m to finish runner-up over 1m2f at Newcastle last time. Top trainer has wasted little time in switching him to 1m4f and breeding suggests it should suit admirably. Looks the one to beat.

Form: 62

(10)

Casemates Square³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: S Donohoe| T: Ian Williams

33/1

Irish import who finished fifth of eight on his debut for this stable at Nottingham. Should be able to build on that, but connections probably have their eyes on handicaps for him after this.

Form: 05

(4)

Impact Point¹²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding

8/11

By top Japanese performer Deep Impact, he ran a race full of promise when second of seven on debut at Lingfield. Steps up in trip and looks a big danger to Abjar.

Form: 2

Non-Runners

(2)

Theatre Royale¹⁷¹

Weight: 9-7| Age: 5

T: B Barr J: J Quinn

(5)

Balashakh²⁷

Weight: 9-2| Age: 3

T: D M Simcock J: M Harley

Forecasts

Impact Point (8/11), Abjar (6/4), Balashakh (3/1), Nelson's Touch (7/1), Hazamar (25/1), Bumble Bay (33/1), Casemates Square (33/1), Theatre Royale (66/1), Sundance Boy (100/1), The Last Melon (150/1)

Of those to have run in bumpers, Nelson's Touch looks much the best. He might find this trip too short, though, so it is best to concentrate on the young Flat performers. Balashakh is the most experienced of them but is starting to look exposed, so this may centre around ABJAR and Impact Point, with the former given a narrow vote following his strong-finishing second at Newcastle last time.