13:30 Chester

Saturday 15 September 2018

All13:3014:0514:4015:1515:5516:3017:05

MBNA / EBF Stallions Novice Stakes (Plus 10)

Off time: 13:34 | Winning time: 1m 18.21s

(3)

Wild Edric⁹

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Alistair Rawlinson| T: Tom Dascombe| OR: 81| D

5/2

Pacy Equiano colt; runner-up here on debut in August (7f, good) before getting off the mark on the AW at Wolverhampton (6f) on his second start; below-par latest, with the nagging worry that was attributable to softer ground.

Form: 216

(7)

Absolute Dream²⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: P Hanagan| T: R A Fahey| OR: 79

2/1

Finished a reasonably close up seventh of 18 in a competitive nursery at York last month (6f, good to firm), which was more akin to his early season form; still a maiden but has had some near misses; handles cut; wide draw isn't ideal.

Form: 622367

(2)

Axel Jacklin⁵⁷

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: F Norton| T: C & M Johnston| OR: 70

6/1

Had a busy season (seven starts), and it's difficult to argue that he's overly progressive; adopted prominent tactics when finishing third over 7f here (g/fm) on his penultimate start, so the drop back to 6f from an inside berth offers hope.

Form: 246438

(6)

Willett¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 9-2| J: M Dwyer| T: Sarah Hollinshead

66/1

Has started at sizeable odds on both previous starts on the Roodeye (5f-7f), and has scarcely managed to beat a single rival; simply can't be the solution based upon that level of form; little chance.

Form: 76

(1)

Zip⁹

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

8/1

Stablemate of Absolute Dream; cost £30,000 as a yearling, but has proved unable to trouble the judge in soft ground contests at Pontefract (5f) and Carlisle (6f); difficult to pin-point where the required improvement will come from.

Form: 57

(8)

Dubai Discovery

Age: 2| Weight: 8-11| J: K Stott| T: S bin Suroor

7/2

First foal out of an unraced dam who was a half-sister to the US 1m-1m1f Grade 1 winner Frosted; makes her debut from the widest draw of all in a very modest contest, but the suspicion is that she'll be one of the Godolphin lesser lights.

Form:

(5)

Orrell Angel¹⁴

Age: 2| Weight: 8-11| J: T E Whelan| T: D Loughnane

66/1

Sold at a reduced £6,000 as a juvenile (28,000gns yearling), and has appeared to be light on ability based upon what we've seen on track so far (7f); holds an equivalent chance to Willett on form, and that's an extremely slim one.

Form: 75

Non-Runners

(4)

Champagne On Rocks⁶⁸

Weight: 8-11| Age: 2

T: B Haslam J: G Lee

Forecasts

Absolute Dream (2/1), Wild Edric (5/2), Dubai Discovery (7/2), Axel Jacklin (6/1), Zip (8/1), Champagne On Rocks (33/1), Willett (66/1), Orrell Angel (66/1)

A low-key opener for a Saturday fixture at Chester, and it's difficult to look all that far down the market for a likely winner. Dubai Discovery debuts for Godolphin, but she looks the type to take on from the widest draw of all despite the paucity of opposition. Axel Jacklin hasn't progressed with racing, but is handily drawn and should find this drop back to 6f in his favour, whilst Absolute Dream (the pick of the Fahey duo) deserves to find a race and is respected with cut in the ground. However, despite ever so slight reservations on account of the ground, this could prove to be a simple case of point and shoot for the well-drawn form horse WILD EDRIC.