14:50 Limerick

Saturday 16 June 2018

All14:5015:2516:0016:3517:1017:4518:15

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden (Plus 10)

Off time: 14:51 | Winning time: 1m 29.94s

(1)

Arabic Channel²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: J A Heffernan| T: D Hogan

25/1

Related to AW winners in Canada and the USA but beat just one horse home on debut at Newbury and a big improvement is required on that evidence alone.

Form: 8

(9)

Cartes

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: D O'Brien| T: J P O'Brien

7/4

Yard won this race last year and has another likely type on its hands in the shape of this half-brother to 7f juvenile winner Royal Parks. Merits close scrutiny in the betting as a step up trip would also be beneficial before too long.

Form:

(6)

Early Strike²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: N G McCullagh| T: J P Murtagh

20/1

€75,000 yearling with an appealing pedigree but needs to step up considerably on what was an inauspicious start at Navan last month.

Form: 0

(11)

Joza¹⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: S Foley| T: A Keatley

11/2

Improved effort on firm ground last time was the pick of his three previous outings. Steps up another furlong and needs to raise his game another notch but could be good value to make the frame if his stamina holds out.

Form: 483

(12)

Little Stone

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: E J McNamara| T: A McNamara

33/1

Rock Of Gibraltar colt, who is bred to appreciate a touch further than today's distance on his dam's side but represents a yard in fair form, so worth a betting check in an open looking maiden.

Form:

(3)

Pulsing Dragon^b⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: L F Roche| T: M O'Callaghan

8/1

Improved effort at Roscommon on Monday and likely there is more to come. Finished well under a patient ride and interesting he turns out so quickly. Experience of this trip a further bonus. Shortlisted.

Form: 05

(7)

Verbier Flyer

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: K K Hennessy⁽⁷⁾| T: D W O'Sullivan

66/1

Rule The World colt that that is a half-brother to winners between 6f and 1m4f. Dam won over an extended mile in the States but his yard has been quiet of late and there has to be an inkling that he'll be better once this experience is behind him.

Form:

(5)

Wild Willie Wynne

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Chris Hayes| T: P J F Murphy

14/1

Cheap purchase that makes limited appeal at this stage despite being a half-brother to a winner over this trip. Yard not yet firing on all cylinders a further negative.

Form:

(2)

Zuenoon

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Declan McDonogh| T: D K Weld

7/1

Follows the tried and trusted method of his illustrious owner's liking for a cross between speed and stamina in his pedigree; Regally bred and from a bang-in-form yard. Has to be considered at this level.

Form:

(10)

Paistiul

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: K J Manning| T: J S Bolger

7/2

Dawn Approach filly whose dam won over 2m on the AW; also a half-sister to a 1m winner as a juvenile. Another from an in-form yard and thus dangerous to ignore.

Form:

(8)

Pyeongchang¹³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: T P Madden⁽⁵⁾| T: A Leahy

66/1

Cost just€2,000 and already has a lot to prove after failing to land a telling blow on debut at Listowel at the start of this month. Others readily preferred.

Form: 9

(4)

Vociferous Marette³⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J S Bolger

20/1

Stablemate of Paistiul and looks the yard's second string on jockey bookings. A mile will suit in due course but may be best left to her own devices on this occasion as far as betting plans are concerned.

Form: 88

Forecasts

Cartes (7/4), Paistiul (7/2), Joza (11/2), Zuenoon (7/1), Pulsing Dragon (8/1), Wild Willie Wynne (14/1), Early Strike (20/1), Vociferous Marette (20/1), Arabic Channel (25/1), Little Stone (33/1), Pyeongchang (66/1), Verbier Flyer (66/1)

In-form trainer Joseph O'Brien sent out the winner of this race last year and has a solid candidate to land back-to-back renewals if CARTES is primed to make an impact on this his racecourse debut. Zuenoon is an appealing alternative and merits plenty of respect on paper. As does Paistiul, whose yard always has to be feared in races of this nature. Pulsing Dragon completes the shortlist.