British EBF Supporting Racing To School Novice Stakes

Off time: 13:50 | Winning time: 1m 0.41s

(1)

Capitan James¹²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Jamie Gormley⁽⁵⁾| T: I Jardine

80/1

Society Rock colt who cost £35,000 and is from the family of good sprinters Ratio and Hoof It; so bitterly disappointing that he was a well beaten last of six on debut at Ripon just under two weeks ago (6f good to firm).

Form: 6

(6)

King Billy

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Ben Robinson⁽³⁾| T: B Ellison

20/1

Unraced seventh foal by Zoffany out of a 7½f juvenile winning dam (Winning Sequence). Cost €5,500 as a yearling. Half-brother to various winners; 7f-1m1f, so could well find this test of speed asking too much on debut.

Form:

(5)

Legal Tender

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: G Lee| T: B Smart

14/1

Unraced first foal by Camacho out of the 5f winning juvenile A Child's Dream. Cost €19,000 as a yearling and every reason to believe that he could be a precocious early season type.

Form:

(4)

Li Kui⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: T Eaves| T: P & O Cole

9/4

Has plenty of experience and has made the frame on both starts so far (5f-6f). Beaten 5L by Mutawaffer at Goodwood latest (6f good to firm), but evidently a lot sharper there and should appreciate this drop back in trip at a tight course.

Form: 33

(2)

Staycation²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: M Harley| T: J P O'Brien

3/1

Not beaten far on debut at Dundalk (6f) despite finishing fifth of six, and that form reads well in the context of this race. Modest next time despite showing early pace but heavy ground a potential excuse.

Form: 54

(3)

Akela Moon¹³

Age: 2| Weight: 8-11| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| BF

6/4

Bungle In thejungle filly who cost €52,000 as a yearling, and ran well on debut at Thirsk (despite hanging) to finish close up behind the winner Luchador. Obvious contender if progressing from that initial racecourse experience.

Form: 2

Forecasts

Akela Moon (6/4), Li Kui (9/4), Staycation (3/1), Legal Tender (14/1), King Billy (20/1), Capitan James (80/1)

Joseph O'Brien saddles his first ever Catterick runner with STAYCATION journeying over from Ireland. His debut effort at Dundalk reads well with the winner Chicas Amigas a runner up in a Listed race since, and the runner up Invasion Day beating a stablemate in a Cork maiden next time. His latest effort can be safely ignored (ground), but adopting similar prominent racing tactics at this sharp track could prove fruitful, so he's preferred to the filly Akela Moon.