Sadly not enough time to write a substantial post for this excellent race but a few pointers. Firstly, look at the price money for this maiden. Win price money of £31,125. Astounding. Worth more than most Listed races. The form of this 7f contest will produce many future winners and many will contest Group races.
Last year's contest was won by White Lake, a debutante trained by Luca Cumani. A race that was far from a vintage renewal and this gelding proved slightly disappointing although competing at pattern class.
I sense this contest will detail a winner of greater class.
Brian Meehan said he was ''very confident'' about the chances of Perkunas. I've rarely heard him talk about a horse in such terms.
Very Talented ran well on debut at Goodwood and it held in high regard by Godolphin and Saeed Bin Suroor. Definitely worth noting.
Luca Cumani rates Beautiful Morning. This beautifully bred filly cost 650,000. This daughter of Galileo ran well on debut when fourth and sure to improve.
Never easy for a debutante to shine on debut especially against proven, experienced juvenile but I'm very interested in Click And Roll for David Brown. This bay filly sired by Candian Smart Strike out of an unraced mare. A half-sister to Hootenanny this March foal has clearly been catching pigeons on the gallops.Qatar Racing Ltd have a wealth of two-year-olds and it it intriguing this filly is their sole representative. Brown can go well with his debutantes and I would expect a bold show.
Conclusion: A maiden of maidens - class horses vying for a prize that makes trainers, pundits and racegoers look twice. Plenty of winners will come from this contest which displays a field of potentially smart two-year-olds. Very Talented and Perkunas are worthy of note, with valuable race experience and lofty plans. The former, especially so. Beautiful Morning is bred to be a specimen and could go well for connections. Many debutantes catch the eye but Click And Roll is a horse I have mentioned a number of times before and excited to see take part. David Brown can ready a juvenile making its racecourse bow and this filly will need to be street-wise today. All noted have fair win and place claims.
A Maiden Auction Stakes over 5f on soft ground. This is a restricted race type which can limit the standard of individuals although this shouldn't be taken as fact. Five runners: two colts and three fillies.
Zephyr Breeze is the only two-year-old with form. This son of Piccolo finished a respectable 4th when competing in the Scottish Brocklesby over course and distance. Considering Noel Wilson's bay raced on Friday it is unlikely he will take this engagement.
Four debutantes hail from talented trainers.
Richard Fahey has been quiet this early part of the season but known as a handler who not only trains a large string of juveniles but someone who can train them to win on their racecourse bow. Powerallied is a son of Camacho out of a twice-winning mare. This bay colt isn't two until the end of the month. He was purchased as a yearling for £16,000 at the Doncaster Silver Sale 2014.The stable have one of the better strike rates from all trainers and deserves respect. It is worth noting that this was one of three horses Fahey entered for the Brocklesby Stakes (Doncaster). This could well prove to be a sign of confidence. On breeding this horse may appreciate further so testing ground may be a plus although soft ground is never good news when betting at short odds unless you know it favours. Obviously with no form, it is best to take a watching brief.
Arize hails from David Brown's stable, who introduced a potentially smart two-year-old to win the Scottish Brocklesby in Tribesman owned by John Fretwell. This bay filly is sired by Approve out of an unraced mare. She was purchased at the yearling sales for 12,000GNS by Peter Onslow (breeder). Owner Mrs Sandra Brown hasn't had a horse in training since 1992. David Brown can train debut winners, especially when priced 13/2 & less. However, with such a small field this betting guide is open to question.
Bryan Smart has his first two-year-old runner of the season. Ayresome Angel is an Irish bred chestnut filly sired by Captain Gerard out of an unraced mare. She was purchased by the trainer as a yearling for 10,000GNS. Smart can win with debutantes although most go better on their second start.
The oldest horse in the field is Baby Ballerina, a February foal. This daughter of Kheleyf is out of a poor mare and purchased by Brian Ellison Racing Ltd for 7,000GNS at the yearling sales. Ellison can train debut winners although compared with the likes of Fahey, Brown & Smart less so. I would take a watching brief.
Conclusion: This race type means most horses here are cheap buys. There are no hard and fast rules, but generally these restricted races feature limited two-year-olds. Zephyr Breeze would hold the aces if racing but that look very unlikely after such a short time since racing over course and distance. The debutantes hail from stables who can win with juveniles on their racecourse bow. On statistics Powerallied is most likely and being entered for the Brocklesby Stakes could well be a significant pointer. However, Arize and Ayresome Angel will be in their best betting guides simply because this is a small field which is rather conflicting. Baby Ballerina is most likely to need the race. The combination of debutantes on soft ground I'd have to take a watching brief.
