15:40 Lingfield

Tuesday 26 September 2017

All14:0014:3515:0515:4016:1516:4517:1517:45

E.B.F. Nursery

Off time: 15:42 | Winning time: 1m 1.4s

(2)

Three Little Birds²³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: David Egan⁽³⁾| T: S Kirk| OR: 70

8/1

Placed on her first five starts (mainly over 5f) before finishing seventh of 23 in the Super Sprint Stakes at Newbury in July. Not quite at her best since, but well berthed to attack from the front on nursery debut.

Form: 323764

(5)

Adulate^v1¹⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-6| J: James Doyle| T: H Palmer| OR: 69

9/2

Likes to race to the fore and handled this track well before seemingly finding the 7f trip too far when third to Radio Source last month. Dropped 2lb since his nursery debut and visored for his first try at the minimum trip.

Form: 9530

(3)

Spanish Star⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-6| J: David Probert| T: P R Chamings| OR: 69| BF

7/1

His actual form figures probably read better than the bare facts of his form thus far, but he did beat a pair of subsequent winners when runner up to hot-pot One For June over 6f on turf here in July, so not ignored.

Form: 4233

(1)

Gaelic Spirit¹¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-4| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J Tuite| OR: 67

10/1

Handicap debutant, and another who has shown a tendency to go forward, and has the ideal draw from which too attack. A half-sister to the classy 5f winner Copper Knight who could prove a tough nut to reel in.

Form: 45036

(7)

Diamond Express⁵³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-4| J: Mitch Godwin⁽⁵⁾| T: R A Teal| OR: 67

50/1

Runner up on her second start at Epsom in July (6f good), but perhaps bogged down in softer conditions since (most notably when a beaten favourite at Ffos Las in early August; heavy). AW and nursery debut.

Form: 6246

(10)

Catapult⁵⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-3| J: P Sirigu| T: R Eddery| OR: 66

20/1

Not really done enough at this stage to suggest that he can be fired into the fold, and has been dropped 3lb since his 5f nursery debut at York in July (last of eight). Poor draw.

Form: 4558

(6)

Laura Knight^p¹³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: A Kirby| T: G & J Moore| OR: 65

5/1

Raced mainly over longer trips thus far without winning in seven starts. However, has twice finished runner up over 6f on the AW (at Kempton and Wolverhampton) so couldn't be discounted despite being 3lb higher than when beaten ½L by Just For Fun.

Form: 586227

(9)

Zain Flash²⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-1| J: J F Egan| T: P D Evans| OR: 64

20/1

Beaten 4L by Kick On Kick On on debut over this trip at Leicester in early April, but not too many positives taken from three subsequent starts over 6f. Makes his AW debut, and second start in a nursery from a 3lb lower mark.

Form: 2469

(4)

Blessed To Empress²²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-1| J: S De Sousa| T: Miss A Murphy| OR: 64| D

9/2

Kept on well to down Three Little Birds by 1½L on debut at Chelmsford in early May (5f standard), but unlike today's rival hasn't proved all that consistent since. Not shown masses in nurseries thus far, but a drop in trip should help.

Form: 10484

(8)

Maygold^h⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-1| J: L P Keniry| T: E Walker| OR: 64

4/1

Raced only on turf (mainly soft) in four career starts, but posted a promising nursery debut when beaten 1¾L by Roundhay Park at Bath (5f good to soft) the weekend before last. Makes her AW debut from the same mark, so possibilities.

Form: 7342

Forecasts

Maygold (4/1), Adulate (9/2), Blessed To Empress (9/2), Laura Knight (5/1), Spanish Star (7/1), Three Little Birds (8/1), Gaelic Spirit (10/1), Zain Flash (20/1), Catapult (20/1), Diamond Express (50/1)

Pace looks assured with a number of likely front runners having the very best of the draw, and the suspicion is that not too many of the others will be able to land a blow in this contest. The visored Adulate has had a tendency to over-race over 7f, and he should be suited by a drop back to the minimum trip for the first time, whilst the top-weighted filly Three Little Birds is well berthed to attack from stall number two. However, perhaps the most pacy runner in the line up, GAELIC SPIRIT, is drawn inside of her in stall number one, and she's capable of taking full advantage of the inner berth by keeping it simple and making all for Oisin Murphy.