14:00 Killarney

Wednesday 22 August 2018

All14:0014:3015:0515:4016:1016:4517:2017:50

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden (Plus 10)

Off time: 14:00 | Winning time: 1m 43.13s

(1)

Biltmore²⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: S Foley| T: J P Murtagh| OR: 81

13/2

Lightly-raced colt, wore cheekpieces for the first time when third of five in maiden at Down Royal (7f, good to soft) last month. Should have more to come.

Form: 9343

(4)

Excelcius⁴⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Colin Keane| T: G M Lyons

9/2

Exceed and Excel colt that cost 110,000 gns as a yearling. Finished sixth of 10 in maiden at Naas (7f, good to firm) on debut. Likely improver.

Form: 6

(2)

Finding Nero¹⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: D P Linehan⁽⁵⁾| T: J P Murtagh

66/1

Holy Roman Emperor colt that cost €68,000 as a yearling. Half-brother to four winners including Bravo Zolo and Set To Fire. Hard to fancy on a couple of dismal starts to date.

Form: 00

(9)

Karasi¹⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Ronan Whelan| T: M Halford

13/8

By Excelebration, half-brother to a 1m winner out of a 1m2f and 1m4f winning dam. Trainer's record with two-year-olds is patchy but finished third of 18 in maiden at the Curragh (7f, good to firm) on debut and goes close here with any improvement.

Form: 3

(5)

Third World²³

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

9/2

Dansili colt, dam a Group 3 winner. Made a promising start in a Curragh maiden in July but didn't exactly build on that next time out at Galway. Still deemed likely to have more to say for himself.

Form: 46

(7)

Whitsunday Islands³²

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

9/2

Australia colt, cost €120,000 as a foal. Dam a half-sister to two-time Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Treve and a Listed winner. Held in two starts but should improve soon for Ballydoyle, one of two for the yard in this field.

Form: 85

(8)

Merida⁹⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-0| J: C P Hoban| T: A Leahy

66/1

Unable to get competitive in pair of sprint maidens earlier in the year at Naas and Cork, needs to find plenty more upped in distance.

Form: 58

Non-Runners

(3)

Norway⁵²

Weight: 9-5| Age: 2

T: A P O'Brien J: Unknown Jockey

(6)

Planet Venus

Weight: 9-0| Age: 2

T: Mrs J Harrington J: C O'Donoghue

Forecasts

Karasi (13/8), Third World (9/2), Excelcius (9/2), Whitsunday Islands (9/2), Planet Venus (5/1), Norway (6/1), Biltmore (13/2), Finding Nero (66/1), Merida (66/1)

KARASI made a pleasing start at the Curragh last time out and is deemed likely to get off the mark before too long. Any improvement should have him in firing line here. Norway will also have more to offer before long for the Ballydoyle team while Biltmore, Excelcius and Third World should also improve on their efforts so far.