13:55 Nottingham

Wednesday 16 October 2019

All13:5514:3015:0515:4016:1016:4517:15

Kier Construction Nottingham EBF Maiden Stakes

Off time: 13:56 | Winning time: 1m 57.16s

(11)

Chichester

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: R L Moore| T: Sir Michael Stoute

11/1

Full-brother to 7f/1m winner Jamil and half-brother to 2-y-o 6f winner Exmouth out of G3 Oh So Sharp Stakes winner Havant. Cost 300,000 gns as a foal, but looks yard's number two on jockey bookings.

Form:

(1)

Gibraltar

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: R Kingscote| T: M L W Bell

9/1

Tamayuz colt whose sales price rose to 200,000 gns as a yearling. Half-brother to useful 1¼m-1¾m winner Redicean. Yard had a couple of debutant winners in May, but most recently have needed initial experience.

Form:

(2)

Nibras Wish²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: B A Curtis| T: I Mohammed

18/1

Better effort to date when 3½L sixth of 12 to Maqtal in a 7f maiden at Yarmouth (good/firm) on second outing. Bred to be suited by this trip, but improvement required to get involved.

Form: 86

(3)

Phoenix Aquilus

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: T P Queally| T: S Durack

66/1

Salde Power colt out of a poor but well-related racemare. Limited appeal on pedigree, but positive that his price has increased with each of three visits to the sales ring.

Form:

(5)

Purple Sandpiper⁷

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: P Mulrennan| T: R Brisland

150/1

From family of owner's Ormonde Stakes winner The Whistling Teal, and bred for the mud, but showed nothing on Kempton debut, and makes no appeal on that showing.

Form: 0

(8)

Thai Power²⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: S De Sousa| T: A M Balding

7/2

425,000 gns Kingman half-brother to various winners, including Lincoln winner Auxerre and 1m winner Hero Look. In need of the experience when fourth of 5 on debut at Newmarket three weeks ago, and sure to do better.

Form: 4

(6)

Zegalo²²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-5| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| BF

8/13

Found just a useful and experienced pair too strong when third at Ascot on debut, and ran to a similar level when runner-up in a 7½f novice at Beverley last month. Sets the bar on those efforts, and likely to do better yet.

Form: 32

Non-Runners

(9)

Cipango⁶⁷

Weight: 9-5| Age: 2

T: M Botti J: L Morris

(10)

French Asset

Weight: 9-5| Age: 2

T: Sir Michael Stoute J: R L Moore

(4)

Screeching Dragon⁵⁵

Weight: 9-5| Age: 2

T: K Frost J: C Lee

(7)

Waleydd

Weight: 9-5| Age: 2

T: R Varian J: David Egan

Forecasts

Zegalo (8/13), Thai Power (7/2), French Asset (4/1), Cipango (5/1), Waleydd (13/2), Gibraltar (9/1), Chichester (11/1), Nibras Wish (18/1), Phoenix Aquilus (66/1), Screeching Dragon (100/1), Purple Sandpiper (150/1)

Chichester looks the pick of the Sir Michael Stoute pair, particularly with heavy ground a negative for French Asset, but jockey bookings say otherwise, and the market will be informative. There is no need to second guess ZEGALO's credentials, however, and he is the one with the best claims on racecourse evidence. Thai Power disappointed on debut, but could easily leave that form behind here.