An EBF Maiden Stakes over 7f on good to firm ground.
An open race.
Seed Bin Suroor has been quiet with his two-year-olds this season with Mahmood Al Zarooni taking the honours with what look to be a better string. Asatir cost 260,000gns as a yearling and a brother to two winners.This American bred, a son of Elusive Quality, has fair claims of winning on debut although with the Godolphin juveniles you never quite know what to expect. Bin Suroor has a respectable strike rate at Redcar, in a race that will not take much winning. A watching brief.
Tom Tate trains Beyond Conceit for Mrs Fitri Hay. Clearly money is no object for this owner as this juvenile cost 250,000 (to go with a string of fancy priced juveniles which cost well over 1,000000). A son of Galileo out of Baraka, who won a Lingfield Oaks Trial he certainly catches the eye compared to some of these more moderately priced juveniles. In previous years, the Fitri Hay two-year-olds have not achieved a great deal for Tate. In fact, many have looked as if a couple of zeros could quite easily been chopped off their sales price after one run. Parc De Launay has shaped up as one of the highlights of their partnership so far. If strongly backed, it would increase my optimism. However, although a big fan of Galileo, the Tate/Hay juveniles have disappointed once too often on debut and I would rather watch and learn.
Yeomanoftheguard ran a fair race on debut behind Bop It. Fahey's two-year-old ran on quite well giving the impression this 7f would be more suiting. If priced 13/2 & less has respectable win and place claims.
Another who is worth noting in the betting is Curtain Patch for Bryan Smart. This American bred filly cost $50,000 and although not showing a great deal of ability of debut, the stable's youngster often improve with racing. If priced 13/2 & less expect a big run.
Lucky Money has claims if well backed.
Of the fillies, it will be interesting to see how Tip Top Gorgeous finds this 7f trip after running at a much higher grade on a couple of occasions. David O'Meara must hold this daughter of Red Clubs in some regard and this level should be more suiting.
Conclusion: A difficult race to assess with limited form and to some extent unreliable debutantes in the shape of Asatir and Beyond Conceit. It wouldn't be the biggest surprise to see those two run big races but neither would it be a shock that both founder. For that reason they may be best watched. The betting with be the key for those with experience. Yeomanoftehguard, Curtain Patch & Lucky Money all have sound win and place claims if priced 13/2 & less.
HCE: ''A race of changing fortunes. Lucky Money and Tip Top Gorgeous set a fair pace and looked to have a leading chance until the closing stages. Asatir drifted markedly in the betting before the off and was struggling for much of the race but ran on with purpose to win by half a length. Beyond Conceit ran a similarly to take third, just behind Tip Top Gorgeous, with Lucky Money just outside the places in fourth.''
