This is an interesting maiden over 7 furlongs, see our betting tips and the full race preview below.
IN SUMMARY: Much of this race will depend on the race fitness of those returning to action and it may be worth chancing MYTHICAL SPIRIT. James Tate is a shrewd trainer and his yard have been in good form so there’s every chance his runner could put in a good showing here now her sights are lowered. Wurood is an obvious threat as she returns to action at a lower level whilst the Richard Hannon duo need a second look in the betting.
1 UNDER THE COVERS – 100/1 on debut and finished a respectable seventh of 13 at Windsor in a Class 5 maiden. That maiden race came in July 2015 and she returns to action here off a near-2 year break and there must be serious question marks as to what has happened in the period in-between. It’s likely she has had some issues and is therefore best watched on her reappearance in this.
2 AL JAWZA – Cost an eye-watering 170,000 Euros and has a lovely looking pedigree. She’s by Nathaniel and a trip of 7 furlongs should be ideal on debut for a yard that has been slightly hit and miss with their debutants this winter. She’s likely to attract plenty of attention but the betting market should be the best guide as to her chances for a yard with a decent 19% strike rate and 3 winners in the past fortnight.
3 ANNA MEDICI – Hasn’t shown a huge amount of promise on her two starts to date and was beaten 11 1/2 lengths at Chelmsford last time out. She steps up in trip here which should be more up her street (by Sir Percy) but she will probably want either further in time and the yard have been quiet of late with only 4 runners in the past fortnight. She’ll do better once entered into handicaps and is best watched until then.
4 ART’S DESIRE – Yard have had a winner from their last five runners and they field an interesting filly here. She’s by Dutch Art and cost a decent 40,000GNS so she’s more than capable of striking first time out for a yard that know the time of day. She’s a half-sister to a winner over this distance and she could attract some decent market support in this. She’s one to keep an eye on in the preliminaries and she could be a threat if clued up if she knows her job on debut.
5 CASTLE HILL CASSIE – 35,000GNS purchase as a yearling and showed promise on debut in a Redcar maiden back in September of last year. She returns here off a 187-day break but she will have benefited a lot for that initial racecourse outing and she will know exactly what she has to do here today. She may not be fully-wound up on her return and connections may have their eye back on the upcoming turf season but she needs respecting with the benefit of a run. Yard have a poor 8% strike rate here.
6 ENGLAND EXPECTS – Cost 28,000GNS as a yearling and is related to a couple of winning types over sprint distances (best RPR was 75). She makes her debut in this and has been handed an awful draw in stall 11 which will make things very difficult for this debutant although the yard know the time of day and can ready one first time out. Worth a second look in the betting but one of the less likely winners.
7 FROM A DISTANCE – Has recorded two disappointing runs to date over 6 and 7 furlongs at Chelmsford and Kempton. Her last race could turn out to be smart with some decent rivals in front of her but she was still a way behind and connections reach for a hood here in an attempt to help her settle better. She has the experience but she’s another with a poor draw and there’s nothing that makes her stand out as a bet in this. Avoided.
8 MYTHICAL SPIRIT – 28,000GNS yearling and was sent off a 50/1 outsider on debut at Newmarket last July. That was a Class 4 maiden so her opponents were decent enough types and the booking of Martin Harley (40% strike rate last 14 days) really catches the eye for a yard with a decent 20% strike rate here. 7 furlongs is probably what she wants at this stage of her career and she is of interest in this given her trainer could have her ready to strike off a break.
9 OK BY ME – The most experienced runner in this field with 6 runs to date but she’s nothing out of the ordinary and the handicapper has assessed her as a 64-rated filly. She made her seasonal return at Newcastle earlier this month so she should strip fitter here but she was beaten a long way and it would be a small surprise to see her win having looked very average to date. Connections may want her mark dropped again before entering into handicap company and she steps back down in trip to 7 furlongs from 1 mile 2 furlongs today.
10 SEEKING ATTENTION – Twice-raced filly with two runs this year and she wasn’t disgraced in a Southwell maiden last time out. She finished behind a potentially useful type although she never threatened to win and may be worth keeping an eye on for handicaps further down the line on the turf. Trainer does have a good record here (3 winners from 13 runners) and Josephine Gordon takes the ride (18% strike rate last fortnight).
11 SHERBERT – Second runner in this for Richard Hannon and cost 90,000 Euros as a yearling. She was very well-beaten on debut back in October of last year and there was no money about for her which was a sign in itself (sent off at 40/1). There should be more to come here with a good draw in stall 1 but her sire has a below par record and it’s tricky to know how she will fare today off that break. One for a second look in the betting.
12 WUROOD – £125,000 Dark Angel filly and she steps up to 7 furlongs today which should be right up her street. She’s run twice to date on the turf in two Class 4 maidens at Doncaster and Yarmouth and there was money about for her on her last start having been sent off the 2/1 joint-favourite. She returns to action in a weaker race and stall 6 gives her every chance for a yard that sent out a winner from their only runner in the past fortnight. Deserves maximum respect in the market although wouldn’t take a really short price off a layoff.