William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 14:41 | Winning time: 1m 11.78s

(1)

Junius Brutus¹⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-6| J: K Stott| T: R M Beckett

3/1

Won twice in France and cost connections £300,000 before a good sixth of 28 in the Windsor Castle (drawn on the wrong side). Struggled in Group 2 Vintage Stakes on stable debut and quickly drops in class and trip. Clear contender if bouncing back.

Form: 1160

(3)

Kuwait Station²⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-4| J: D Tudhope| T: D O'Meara| OR: 92| CD

11/4

Swiss Spirit colt, cost €60,000 as a yearling and a wiinner of two from three with only defeat coming in the Coventry Stakes. That probably came too soon and he was hugely impressive at Catterick. Looks a leading contender.

Form: 101

(5)

Yousini⁷¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-4| J: T Eaves| T: K A Ryan| OR: 91

7/2

Overcame greenness to win on debut and remained unbeaten with a battling front-running success at Carlisle. The extra furlong and easier ground should only help and can go close again.

Form: 11

(2)

Baronial Pride²¹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: T Hamilton| T: R A Fahey| OR: 86| BF| D

9/2

Things didn't go right when a beaten favourite at York but still ran with a great deal of promise. Stable won this in 2010 and 2013 and although this is tougher he still has progress to come.

Form: 123

(4)

Tin Hat³

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: Charles Bishop| T: Eve Johnson Houghton| OR: 92

4/1

Has some smart form including a fifth in the Windsor Castle but others may be open to more progress and his last two runs have suggested he may be worth a drop back to the minimum trip.

Form: 325973

Forecasts

Kuwait Station (11/4), Junius Brutus (3/1), Yousini (7/2), Tin Hat (4/1), Baronial Pride (9/2)

A good race for the grade where Junius Brutus is an obvious hope dropping back in class and his new connections will be looking for a quick return to form to justify his price tag. He likes to lead as does Yousini who is two from two and who connections feel will make a much better horse with time. Baronial Pride and Tin Hat are not here to make up the numbers and can make their presence felt but preference is for KUWAIT STATION who won his last start like a smart colt in the making and still holds some big entries.