Betway Maiden Stakes

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 2m 47.98s

(3)

Emerald Cross²⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: C Lee⁽³⁾| T: A West

18/1

By Cape Cross. and a half-brother to the useful sprinter Sweet Cecily but unfancied and soundly beaten on his belated debut over 1m4f at Lingfield last month. Open to improvement but looks one for handicaps.

Form: 5

(1)

Sugarloaf Mountain^t¹⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Ben Robinson⁽⁵⁾| T: B Ellison| OR: 71

12/1

No show in a couple of runs for Aidan O'Brien went close on a couple of occasions for this yard up to 1m6f earlier in the year. Was returning from more than seven months off when third at Southwell recently. Respected.

Form: 0-34223

(2)

The Foozler⁸⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: A Mullen| T: P D Niven

250/1

Little to recommend on breeding and has shown next to nothing in three maidens so far at around this trip, beaten 53L at odds of 125/1 last time out. Readily overlooked.

Form: 658

(6)

Warm Oasis²⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-5| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 75

7/4

Cost 200,000 guineas as a son of Oasis Dream and, though he looks expensive at that price, he hasn't been beaten far in two stronger-looking 1m4f maidens on the AW of late. Should be firmly in the mix.

Form: 624

(4)

Cuckoo's Calling²⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: P J McDonald| T: J D Bethell| BF

5/1

Filly who showed plenty of promise to win each of her first two starts in bumpers (each around 1m6f) before finishing a brave third under a double penalty at Warwick. Interesting to see how she handles this very different test on the Flat.

Form:

(5)

Star Story¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Josephine Gordon| T: R M Beckett| OR: 74

5/4

Promise shown in maidens before going close in successive 1m4f handicaps from a mark of 74, most recently on the AW at Wolverhampton. Should take some stopping back in maiden company in receipt of allowances.

Form: 7-2432

Forecasts

Star Story (5/4), Warm Oasis (7/4), Cuckoo's Calling (5/1), Sugarloaf Mountain (12/1), Emerald Cross (18/1), The Foozler (250/1)

It will be interesting to see how the dual bumper winner Cuckoo's Calling fares on her Flat/AW debut but this could develop into a straight shoot-out between the other two three-year-old's Warm Oasis and STAR STORY. Though the former has the more eyecatching pedigree, he raced a little awkwardly at Lingfield last time so preference is for Ralph Beckett's filly in receipt of 5lbs having gone close in a handicap at Wolverhampton last time despite pulling hard.