bet365 Novice Stakes (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:01 | Winning time: 1m 28.68s

(6)

Blue Universe¹⁰

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: Hollie Doyle| T: C & M Johnston

3/1

Highly-promising individual. Fifth of 11 in novice event at Kempton (7f, 33/1) on debut 10 days ago, finishing well. Open to significant improvement.

Form: 5

(1)

Connemara Coast²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: P Cosgrave| T: R Hughes

10/3

13/2, third of 9 in minor event at Ascot (7f, good) on debut 28 days ago. Well bred and should improve.

Form: 3

(3)

Omniking⁹²

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: Benoit D L Sayette⁽³⁾| T: D Loughnane

12/1

Ninth of 10 in novice event at Sandown (7f, good, 11/1) on debut. Off 92 days.

Form: 9

(5)

Prince of Zenda

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: William Carver⁽³⁾| T: H Palmer

4/1

Foaled March 1. 75,000 gns foal, 150,000 gns yearling, Kingman colt. Closely related to useful 5f/6f winner Swindler and half-brother to several winners, including useful 6f winner Akbar Shah and 1m winner Trilliant.

Form:

(2)

Runaholic²⁸

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: George Scott| OR: 80| BF

15/8

Runner-up for the second time in 10-runner novice event (11/10) at Thirsk (7f, soft) 28 days ago. Sets the standard.

Form: 522

(4)

True Legend¹⁶

Age: 2| Weight: 9-7| J: L Morris| T: Sir Mark Prescott

40/1

Sixth of 9 in novice event at Chelmsford City (7f, 80/1) on debut 16 days ago. More to come at some point.

Form: 6

Forecasts

Runaholic (15/8), Blue Universe (3/1), Connemara Coast (10/3), Prince of Zenda (4/1), Omniking (12/1), True Legend (40/1)

BLUE UNIVERSE shaped really well once the penny dropped starting out at Kempton 10 days ago and with above-average improvement forthcoming, he could take the leap forward needed to land a novice. Runaholic sets a reasonable standard, with Connemara Coast another to consider.