At The Races App Form Study Maiden Stakes (GBB Race)

Off time: 19:20 | Winning time: 1m 28.27s

(6)

Shamardal Star¹⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 10-2| J: D Nolan| T: A Keatley

28/1

Went unsold at £800 in an online sale late last year and beaten a long way by the winner when second in a 3-runner bumper on debut at Fakenham (2m, soft) in November. Can only be watched starting out on the Flat here.

Form:

(3)

Coronado King^h1

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: W Buick| T: C Appleby

13/8

Exceed And Excel colt. Brother to 5f winner Saxon Village and half-brother to several winners, including winner up to 7f Top Score and 1m winner Castle Lady, both smart. Fact that he's hooded for this debut is mildly disconcerting but makes plenty of appeal otherwise.

Form:

(4)

Drifts Away²³⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: David Egan| T: T Kent

25/1

Sent off at 100/1 and trailed in a well-held last of 10 in a 6f Haydock novice on sole 2-y-o start.

Form: 0-

(5)

Gracious Leader¹⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Raul Da Silva| T: R Varian

17/2

Bred to be useful and didn't shape badly when sixth of 12 in minor event at Yarmouth (7f, soft) on debut in October. However, reappearance effort at Newmarket was poor and he has a bit to prove on the back of that.

Form: 6-0

(2)

Sherman Tank¹⁷³

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: J P Spencer| T: D M Simcock

2/1

Price rose to €165,000 when resold last year and shaped with plenty of promise when a close third in a 9-runner Newcastle maiden (6f) on debut in November (gelded since). Entitled to improve and likely to play a leading role here.

Form: 3-

(1)

Transitioning

Age: 3| Weight: 9-4| J: Oisin Murphy| T: A M Balding

7/2

60,000 gns foal, 180,000 gns yearling. Half-brother to several winners, including 7f winner Rosemary And Thyme and 2-y-o 6f winner Barend Boy. Yard has made a very bright start to the season and he needs close attention in the betting.

Form:

Forecasts

Coronado King (13/8), Sherman Tank (2/1), Transitioning (7/2), Gracious Leader (17/2), Drifts Away (25/1), Shamardal Star (28/1)

Newcomers TRANSITIONING and Coronado King both make plenty of appeal on paper, while Sherman Tank has to be respected given the promise he showed on his introduction at the backend of last year. It will of course be interesting to see how the betting shapes up but, as things stand, marginal preference is for Transitioning, whose red-hot yard saddled a winning 3-y-o newcomer at Yarmouth on Tuesday and this fellow may well follow suit.