13:50 Newmarket

Tuesday 17 April 2018

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:2017:55

Alex Scott Maiden Stakes (Plus 10) (Div 1)

Off time: 13:51 | Winning time: 1m 28.38s

(6)

Atalanta's Boy^h1

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: L Morris| T: D Menuisier

100/1

Paco Boy colt, dam a sprint winner as a juvenile. Off-putting that's he's fitted with a hood for his debut and yard's debutantes often in need of the run.

Form:

(4)

Aurum

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby

11/4

Exceed and Excel colt, full-brother to Group 3 (AW) winner Rouleau and half-brother to winner of the Group 1 Middle Park here Amadeus Wolf. Yard's runners worthy of respect on debut and the trainer has a fine record at this course; leading player.

Form:

(5)

Ballyquin¹⁷²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding

10/1

Acclamation colt, half-brother to eight winners, most notably Raymi Coya, a Group 3 winner over this trip and dam half-sister to a German Group 2 winner. Promising debut at Newbury last year and should run well given he's likely to have improved.

Form: 4-

(1)

Bawaasil

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: David Probert| T: Owen Burrows

33/1

Oasis Dream colt, related to a winner over this trip in Tamadhor. Dam a winner and half-sister to multiple Group winners. Owner's retained jockey has looked else where and others make a little more appeal on paper.

Form:

(7)

Busby

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: M Dwyer| T: C Allen

150/1

Kodiac gelding, cost 21,000 gns as a yearling having been more expensive as a gelding and foal. Already gelded and makes limited appeal amongst these rivals for his debut.

Form:

(13)

Elhafei¹⁴⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Jim Crowley| T: J & T Gosden

9/4

Speightstown colt, cost 525,000 gns as a yearling. Too keen for much of his debut but made eye-catching headway having been forced five wide turning for home. Will do better here and gets the vote of Crowley who could have ridden Bawaasil or Ibraz.

Form: 4-

(11)

Epaulement²⁰⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: R Kingscote| T: Tom Dascombe

16/1

Epaulette gelding, cost 12,000 gns as a yearling. Half-brother to largely moderate performers over further but dam was Listed-placed over this trip. Ran well on debut but likely to be suited by further.

Form: 5-

(9)

Ibraz²⁷⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Dane O'Neill| T: R Varian

8/1

Farhh colt, cost 100,000 gns as a yearling. Dam a half-sister to Group 3 winner Queen's Best who herself is the dam of Grade 1 winner Queen's Trust. Ran okay on debut on the July course here last summer but may do better over further than this.

Form: 5-

(12)

Mankind²⁶³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Fran Berry| T: George Scott

33/1

Dabirsim gelding, dam a winner and half-sister to a winner over this trip. Too green on debut and well beaten here on the July course when last seen. Others make more appeal.

Form: 40-

(8)

Pesky Wabbitt^h1²⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: S Donohoe| T: R Spencer

100/1

Compton Place gelding, cost £30,000 as a yearling and is a half-brother to four winners and dam placed in Group 1 company. Showed nothing on debut at Chelmsford last month. Now fitted with a first-time hood.

Form: 8

(10)

Prevent²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: R L Moore| T: R M Beckett

13/2

Poet's Voice gelding, half-brother to two useful sprinters and dam a Listed winner over this trip and a half-sister to a Group 1 winner. Ran okay on debut but likely to need a big step forward against some of these rivals.

Form: 6

(2)

Robsdelight²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Aaron Jones⁽³⁾| T: Miss Gay Kelleway

10/1

Harbour Watch gelding, cost €20,000 as a yearling. Half-brother to five sprinters and dam was Listed placed. Ran well on debut at Doncaster (7f), keeping on well to finish second (no match for winner) and not out of this if he can build on that.

Form: 2

(3)

Tilghman²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: K Shoemark| T: W Jarvis

33/1

Lawman colt, cost 72,000 gns as a yearling. Half-brother to Group 3 runner-up Make Time and dam a half-sister to Group 2 winner Overdose. Showed plenty on debut and only just out the places at Doncaster last time. Should go well.

Form: 24

Forecasts

Elhafei (9/4), Aurum (11/4), Prevent (13/2), Ibraz (8/1), Ballyquin (10/1), Robsdelight (10/1), Epaulement (16/1), Tilghman (33/1), Mankind (33/1), Bawaasil (33/1), Atalanta's Boy (100/1), Pesky Wabbitt (100/1), Busby (150/1)

This looks like a hot maiden to start Newmarket's 2018 season and it's ELHAFEI who is taken to land the opener. John Gosden's charge made up some good ground on his debut at Lingfield where very little went right for him (keen and forced wide) and he's likely to do better here with Crowley in the saddle, the former Champion Jockey will have had the pick of three in today's line up. Charlie Appleby's debutantes warrant respect and Aurum makes appeal on paper while Robsdelight and Tilghman can fight it out for minor honours given they have both shown ability in their short careers to date.