19:15 Sligo

Thursday 2 July 2020

All16:1016:4017:1017:4018:1018:4519:15

Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden

Off time: 19:15 | Winning time: 2m 21.67s

(5)

Born To Rule¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Billy Lee| T: T Hogan| OR: 76

11/8

Shown definite progression with each start in maidens. Should be competitive once again. Question mark against him regarding the trip, but if he gets it he will be firmly on the premises. Watch market for clues.

Form: 96-5

(1)

Cardinal Rule^b1¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Nathan Crosse⁽⁵⁾| T: F J Flood| OR: 74

10/1

Blinkers now reached for after he has proved incapable of building on promise in maiden company since switched to handicaps. Offered no room for optimism when 10th at Leopardstown (1m2f; good) 18 days ago. Extremely difficult to make a case for.

Form: 557-80

(8)

Gibson Desert^b1¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: T P Madden| T: Mrs J Harrington

25/1

Eased down inside the final furlong when stepped up markedly in trip on return from just over a year off the track when comfortably beaten at Fairyhouse (1m4f; good) recently. Likely to be turning up to gain a handicap mark.

Form: 0-0

(2)

Gregory's Gift¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: Dylan Browne McMonagle⁽⁷⁾| T: S Fahey

22/1

Ran okay for one at such a big price (150-1) when sixth at Gowran Park (1m; yielding) on return from three-month break. Still has a considerable amount on the bare form of that race to trouble leading contenders, but has place claims.

Form: 96

(7)

Kells¹³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: C P Hoban| T: Mrs J Harrington

6/1

Form of seasonal debut effort at Gowran Park (1m; yielding) has been boosted with the winner going close and second winning since. By Galileo so step up in trip should bring about further improvement and yard are having winners.

Form: 56-5

(3)

Rodney Bay²⁵⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: James J Doyle| T: Joseph Murray

150/1

Posted a pair of woeful efforts in 6f maidens on soft ground last year. Stepped up markedly in trip now, but is impossible to fancy on what he has shown so far so look elsewhere for more viable alternatives.

Form: 00-

(9)

Lilli Milena⁹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: O J Orr| T: D K Weld| OR: 63

7/2

Just failed to see out the trip on soft ground when fifth on comeback run at Navan (1m5f; soft). Drop back to 1m2f looks ideal. Form of her debut effort behind subsequent Irish 1000 Guineas heroine Peaceful is impressive. The one to beat.

Form: 5-5

(4)

Mighty Mirage¹⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Rory Cleary| T: T Cleary| OR: 63

16/1

12-race maiden who is by far the most exposed in this field. Rated just 63, so it would be a surprise if one of the more lightly raced runners wasn't capable of running to a higher mark than that.

Form: 8-45456

(6)

Next In Line¹⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: Ronan Whelan| T: J M Barrett

11/2

Improved slightly for the step up in trip when down the field at Roscommon (1m2f; good to firm) on faster ground compared to what she made her debut on. Going a further two furlongs will need to bring about further progress.

Form: 0-9

Forecasts

Born To Rule (11/8), Lilli Milena (7/2), Next In Line (11/2), Kells (6/1), Cardinal Rule (10/1), Mighty Mirage (16/1), Gregory's Gift (22/1), Gibson Desert (25/1), Rodney Bay (150/1)

A modest affair to round the card off with LILLI MILENA and Kells miles ahead of their opposition on what they have achieved form-wise. The latter has had the form of his most recent run boosted by the front two and is highly likely to improve for the step up to 1m2f. However, preference is for the latter who just failed to see out 1m5f when fading late in the day on her return to action. She still ran a good race and on that evidence should have no problems whatsoever with this trip. The form of her debut effort behind Peaceful has since been well advertised. Born To Rule can chase the aforementioned pair since he has the most likeable profile of the remaining runners.