14:55 Ripon

Saturday 21 July 2018

All14:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:1517:50

British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 14:56 | Winning time: 59.47s

(6)

Alfie Solomons¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-8| J: T P Queally| T: R Spencer| OR: 82| D

10/3

Didn't have anything go his way on nursery debut at Chelmsford (6f) two weeks ago, and drops back to 5f seeking to recapture the promise shown when winning at Newcastle in June; every chance.

Form: 4106

(7)

Eljayeff¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: D Nolan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 85| D

4/6

Runner-up to the useful Semoum on his penultimate start (6f, Ripon), and quickly went one better dropped to this trip at Carlisle two weeks ago when making all to beat Aloysius Lilius by a ready 5L; obvious contender.

Form: 421

(5)

Budaiya Fort

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: P J McDonald| T: R M H Cowell

8/1

€55,000 yearling; £160,000 juvenile; unraced seventh foal by Kodiac out of Knapton Hill (7f winner); half-brother to four winners including Pitlochry (6f); one to monitor in the betting.

Form:

(8)

I'm Billy Murphy⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Lewis Edmunds⁽³⁾| T: N Tinkler

16/1

Failed to back up a promising course debut third (6f)-which has been franked by the runner-up Eyelool-when beaten at Doncaster latest; possible excuses (wrong side) for that defeat, but needs to bounce back; drop in trip helpful.

Form: 39

(9)

Rum Lad⁷

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Jason Hart| T: J & S Quinn

9/1

£18,000 yearling; slowly away and green early on debut at Hamilton last Saturday (5f, good to firm), but got to grips with racing late on to finish just under 4L fourth of six to Woodside Wonder; further improvement anticipated.

Form: 4

(4)

Silver Dust²⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey

12/1

57,000gns yearling; finished last of six over C&D on debut in May, but showed improved form next time at Carlisle (6f) when finishing 5½L third to The Mackem Bullet; not easy to establish his optimum trip, and others likely stronger.

Form: 63

(1)

The Big House

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Connor Beasley| T: N Wilson

40/1

£22,000 juvenile; fifth foal from an unraced dam; half-brother to various winners including Luiz Vaz De Torres (5f-7f); stable not really known for their juvenile winners, but are adept at handling sprinters; market the best guide.

Form:

(2)

Jill Rose¹⁵

Age: 2| Weight: 8-11| J: Phil Dennis⁽³⁾| T: R M Whitaker

50/1

Bred to be speedy (dam a 5f-7f winner), and she herself is a half-sister to the 5f-6f winner Jorvik Prince, but she's not shown enough in a pair of 5f starts at Thirsk and Beverley to suggest that her turn is near.

Form: 95

(3)

Lady Kinsale²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 8-11| J: Rachel Richardson| T: E J Alston

66/1

£25,000 juvenile from a good family; half-sister to nine winners including Rosa Grace (7f-1m2f); fared moderately on both starts so far (5f Chester), and looks to be awaiting nurseries over a longer trip.

Form: 85

Forecasts

Eljayeff (4/6), Alfie Solomons (10/3), Budaiya Fort (8/1), Rum Lad (9/1), Silver Dust (12/1), I'm Billy Murphy (16/1), The Big House (40/1), Jill Rose (50/1), Lady Kinsale (66/1)

A couple of newcomers to keep an eye on in the exchanges include Budaiya Fort and The Big House, but those with the strongest form set a fair standard with a shootout between front-runner Eljayeff and the Newcastle AW winner ALFIE SOLOMONS likely. The selection was out of his depth in the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot and didn't have anything go his way after a tardy start in a decent little race at Chelmsford a fortnight ago, so is better than his overall form figures. He looked to be a horse with a positive future when winning at Newcastle in June, and it's interesting to see him dropped back to 5f today.