14:25 Ascot

Saturday 23 July 2022

All13:5014:2515:0015:3516:1016:4517:20

Longines Valiant Stakes (Fillies' And Mares' Group 3) (Rnd)

Off time: 14:27 | Winning time: 1m 42.32s

(6)

Novemba³⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Rene Piechulek| T: P Schiergen| OR: 110| D

6/1

German Guineas winner last season. Respectable 4½ lengths fourth of 7 to Saffron Beach in Duke of Cambridge Stakes at the Royal meeting (1m, good to firm) last month. Should be very competitive.

Form: 4053-54

(3)

Romantic Rival⁵²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: J P Spencer| T: G Boughey| OR: 89| D

40/1

Back to form with a bang when winning 8-runner handicap at Kempton (1m) last month, pushed out. That was a useful effort but she'll need a fair bit more now stepping back up in class.

Form: 431-761

(4)

Serenading¹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 9-5| J: P J McDonald| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 87| D

100/1

Useful mare. Ran creditably when 5¾ lengths fifth of 8 to Thunder Beauty in listed race at Pontefract (1m, good) 18 days ago but that underlines she has a bit to find at this level.

Form: 552405

(7)

Eidikos³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Rowan Scott| T: E Bethell| OR: 93

40/1

Has twice reached the frame at listed level this year but she'll do well to repeat the feat now tackling Group 3 company for the first time.

Form: 524-483

(5)

Jumbly^t1⁴¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Hollie Doyle| T: H & R Charlton| OR: 105| BF

10/3

Listed winner in the mud at Newbury last year and showed she's trained on well with second in Fred Darling there on her reappearance. Not beaten far in the French 1000 Guineas next time but needs to bounce back from a lesser run in Germany since.

Form: 141-286

(2)

Kind Gesture^h²⁷

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: R Varian| OR: 92| D

9/1

Progressive, winning novices at Wetherby (7f) and Windsor (1m; hard held by 10 lengths) last month. Not be underestimated now stepping up in class.

Form: 211

(8)

Oscula¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: W Buick| T: G Boughey| OR: 103

4/1

Consistent sort who gained a deserved first success in listed company when landing a 12-runner event at Carlisle. (7f, good to firm) last month. Creditable placed efforts in similar company at Sandown and Chester since. Ought to give her running again.

Form: 6-02123

(9)

Snooze N You Lose³¹

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: S H James| T: K R Burke| OR: 99

18/1

Firmly back on track when excellent second in York handicap on return and backed that up when winning 12-runner listed race at Musselburgh (7f, good to firm) in June. However, she ran no more than respectably when 4¾ lengths sixth to Oscula at Carlisle last time.

Form: 187-216

(1)

Zanbaq³⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-11| J: Jim Crowley| T: R Varian| OR: 105

7/4

Dual novice winner who ran to a smart level when an excellent second of 28 under a big weight in the Sandringham over the straight 1m here at the Royal meeting. More than capable of winning at minor pattern level judged on that performance.

Form: 1-312

Forecasts

Zanbaq (7/4), Jumbly (10/3), Oscula (4/1), Novemba (6/1), Kind Gesture (9/1), Snooze N You Lose (18/1), Eidikos (40/1), Romantic Rival (40/1), Serenading (100/1)

The form of ZANBAQ's second in the Sandringham has already received a few boosts and she's very much the one to beat. German-raider Novemba ran quite well in the Duchess of Cambridge at the Royal meeting and she should be in the shake-up here, while the selection's stablemate Kind Gesture could have enough improvement in her to make an impact at this higher level.