20:10 Sandown

Thursday 30 May 2019

All17:5518:3019:0519:3520:1020:40

Watch The bettingpeople Videos starsportsbet.co.uk EBF Novice Stakes

Off time: 20:10 | Winning time: 2m 7.45s

(5)

Ekayburg^t1¹⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 10-0| J: Finley Marsh⁽³⁾| T: D Pipe

66/1

Won a couple of 1m4f French bumpers for Alain Couetil but has disappointed over hurdles since joining David Pipe; midfield finish on Flat debut in a 1m3½f novice at Bath (firm).

Form: 6

(12)

Flying Tiger¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 10-0| J: Tom Marquand| T: Nick Williams

20/1

Talented hurdler, 33/1 winner of the Fred Winter at the 2017 Cheltenham Festival; never reached the leaders when finishing fourth to Aloe Vera in a 1m2f Chepstow novice, and appears to be held by tonight's rival Maiden Castle; handicapping awaits.

Form: 5/4

(1)

The Cruix²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: Joey Haynes| T: D K Ivory

50/1

Galileo gelding; comfortably held in a couple of starts in bumpers, including at Huntingdon (25/1) three weeks ago; very unlikely contender on Flat debut.

Form:

(6)

Trailboss²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-0| J: S Donohoe| T: E F Vaughan

50/1

Has made the frame on all three starts so far, but was never any threat to the winner on either of his recent AW starts at Southwell (1m4f) or Chelmsford (1m2f).

Form: 23

(9)

Mizuki

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Joshua Bryan⁽³⁾| T: A M Balding

50/1

Cost €95,000 as a juvenile; fourth foal; half-sister to the winners Snow Scene (6f) and Coviglia (7f-1m); somewhat belatedly is hitting the racecourse for the first time at the age of four; stablemate of Tribal Craft.

Form:

(3)

Gold Stick²³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: L Dettori| T: J & T Gosden| D

9/2

Dubawi colt who probably sets the standard; too green to do himself justice on 1m Newbury debut (form solid), but responded willingly to win by an ever extending 3½L at Wetherby (1m2f) three weeks later; tough to beat despite a penalty.

Form: 51

(2)

Pondus²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Oisin Murphy| T: J R Fanshawe| D

7/4

Built upon his promising Nottingham debut fourth to the 2000 Guineas runner up King Of Change when justifying favouritism over an extended 1m2f back there (soft) three weeks ago; retains clear and obvious scope for further progression.

Form: 41

(11)

Aktau²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian

3/1

Teofilo gelding who has shown ample ability in a couple of Nottingham novice contests (1m2f) on contrasting racing surfaces; beaten 3L (fourth) by the re-opposing and now penalised Pondus latest.

Form: 34

(10)

Indignation

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: P J Dobbs| T: Sir Michael Stoute

20/1

€300,000 Frankel yearling; first foal out of the French Group 3 juvenile winning sprinter This Time (5f-5½f); one to keep a close eye upon in the market exchanges.

Form:

(7)

Maiden Castle²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: David Probert| T: H Candy

3/1

80/1, but finished off his race well (beaten over 9L) when fourth to Khuzaam on debut over 1m at Kempton in December; posted a very pleasing recent seasonal reappearance - beaten a neck by Aloe Vera at Chepstow (1m2f); chance.

Form: 4-2

(4)

Ideal Grace¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Nicola Currie| T: Eve Johnson Houghton

66/1

Half-sister to a couple of winners including Stylehunter (1m1f-1m2f), but her two starts to date at Kempton (7f) and Windsor (1m2f) very strongly imply that she'll not be at all competitive here.

Form: 06

(8)

Nette Rousse²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Harry Bentley| T: R M Beckett

20/1

Mastercraftsman filly; cost €235,000 as a yearling; looked to be in need of the experience when finishing a never nearer sixth of 14 to Pondus (Aktau fourth) at Nottingham (1m2f, soft) three weeks ago; should improve, albeit probably not enough.

Form: 6

(13)

Postie^h²⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Ryan Tate| T: J M P Eustace

100/1

Medicean filly; 100/1 when finishing ninth of 14 on Nottingham debut (1m2f, soft); held by tonight's rivals Pondus (winner), Aktau (fourth) and Nette Rousse (sixth) accordingly.

Form: 9

(14)

Tribal Craft

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Rob Hornby| T: A M Balding

50/1

Mastercraftsman filly; fourth foal from a 1m-1m2f winning dam (Snoqualmie Star); sister to the 1m3½f Flat, and 2m-2m3f hurdle winner Star Maker; stablemate of Mizuki.

Form:

Forecasts

Pondus (7/4), Aktau (3/1), Maiden Castle (3/1), Gold Stick (9/2), Nette Rousse (20/1), Flying Tiger (20/1), Indignation (20/1), Tribal Craft (50/1), Mizuki (50/1), Trailboss (50/1), The Cruix (50/1), Ekayburg (66/1), Ideal Grace (66/1), Postie (100/1)

An interesting race with both Aktau (fourth) and Nette Rousse (sixth) probably capable of getting closer to their Nottingham conqueror Pondus on revised terms (and under different ground conditions), while Maiden Castle should also be winning races fairly imminently on the basis of what we've seen on the racecourse to date. However, the John Gosden-trained GOLD STICK, who carries the colours of Her Majesty The Queen, is progressing nicely with experience and looks to be more than capable of following up a silky smooth 1m2f Wetherby win. Of the newcomers, the €300,000 Frankel colt Indignation is the most noteworthy.