July 10 / 14.20 Ayr

14.20

Good To Soft

EBF Stallions Novice Stakes (GBB Race)

  • Prize money: £5372.99
  • 0m 7f 50y
  • Class 4
  • 6 runners
RTV
View Course
EBF Stallions Novice Stakes (GBB Race)

Runners: 6 runners

Type: Flat Turf

Surface: Turf

Weather: Showers

OUR TIP

4/1 (Won)

  • Win: £5.50
  • Place: £1.70

Form: 1

Last run: 19 days

W: 9st 11lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
7-1 when getting up to win by a nose on his Hamilton debut (6f, good) last month; shaped then as though he would stay this extra furlong (albeit speedily bred on dam's side), but this still won't be easy under his 7lb penalty.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

3

(6)

14th May 2026

Good

0m 7f 192y

Class 2

14:55 York

Cerulean Bay

9st 6lb

J: Daniel Tudhope

T: David O’Meara

Progressive last term, winning two in a row at Goodwood (1m, good to soft/good) in the autumn, and kept on well for a close fourth on last month's reappearance at Haydock (7f, good to firm); solid claims back up to 1m.

13/2

4th

3

(10)

25th Apr 2026

Good

0m 7f 37y

Class 2

14:35 Haydock

Cerulean Bay

9st 10lb

J: Daniel Muscutt

T: David O’Meara

Had strong handicap form over 1m in the second half of 2025, finishing second at York's Ebor meeting (good to firm) before recording back-to-back wins at Goodwood (good to soft and good); ran well for third in a Nottingham Listed race when last seen 178 days ago; only seventh in this race 12 months ago and he's 4lb higher today.

9/1

3rd

2

(7)

29th Oct 2025

Soft

1m 0f 75y

Class 1

14:47 Nottingham

Cerulean Bay

9st 4lb

J: David Nolan

T: David O’Meara

Won on soft last year; Goodwood double (1m, good to soft/good) in handicaps this autumn; however, only mid-division in valuable event at Ascot 11 days ago, comfortably held by Ebt's Guard, and needs to resume improvement.

14/1

7/2

  • Place: £1.90

Form:

Last run:

W: 9st 4lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
April foal by Too Darn Hot; 110,000gns yearling; half-brother to four winners including the stable's star stayer Subjectivist (7f-2m4f including AW 2yo/Group 1; RPR 122), Sir Ron Priestley (1m4f/1m6f including Group 2; 120) and Alba Rose (Group-placed 7f 2yo; 96); dam Listed-placed 1m 2yo winner (104); beautifully bred and a Group 1 National Stakes entry suggests he is held in some regard; market should be revealing.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

6th

6

9th May 2026

Good

2m 1f 0y

13:53 Killarney

Individualism

11st 12lb

J: Calum Hogan

T: E McNamara

One of three for trainer; won twice on the Flat for Charlie Johnston on good ground; rated 83 in that sphere; signed off British career with a tailed off finish at Hamilton in September; makes hurdling/stable debut now in a first-time tongue tie.

11/1

3

(4)

29th Sep 2025

Good To Soft

1m 1f 35y

Class 3

15:35 Hamilton

Individualism

9st 8lb

J: Jason Hart

T: Charlie Johnston

Acts on good to soft but both wins (at 1m3f and about 1m) on good; ran up to his best when a close second of seven at Beverley (1m2f, good to firm) in August but needs to pull out more against in-form rivals.

13/2

Form: 7

Last run: 16 days

W: 9st 4lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
Nicely bred but looked in need of the run when seventh of nine on his debut here (6f, good; 28-1) last month; extra furlong should suit on breeding and open to improvement, but it will be needed.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

5th

6

(6)

17th May 2026

Good

2m 0f 0y

Class 5

14:17 Ripon

Elemental Eye

9st 5lb

J: Aiden Brookes

T: Iain Jardine

Winner at Redcar (2m, good to soft) and Musselburgh (1m6f, soft; by 10l) last term; not disgraced back on Flat at Newcastle (1m4f) in March; cheekpieces get their first airing since October and stepping back up in trip should suit, so he needs a close look.

12/1

Form: 4532

Last run: 12 days

W: 9st 4lb

2 yo Colt

OR: 78

Form & Verdict
Has shown ability in his four starts as when beaten less than a length into second of nine at Carlisle (6f, good to soft) 12 days ago; extra furlong shouldn't be an issue on breeding, but he looks vulnerable to less exposed rivals; stable also runs Catena.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

9th

6

(9)

22nd Feb 2025

Standard To Slow

0m 6f 0y

Class 5

18:45 Chelmsford (AW)

Land Lover

9st 6lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Mark Loughnane

bumped start, switched left soon after start, in rear

12/1

10th

6

(1)

27th Jan 2025

Standard

0m 6f 20y

Class 5

19:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Land Lover

9st 6lb

J: Billy Loughnane

T: Mark Loughnane

in touch with leaders

7/1

8/1

Form: 51 D

Last run: 20 days

W: 9st 3lb

2 yo Filly

OR: 70

Form & Verdict
Both starts over 7f at Beverley last month, improving from her debut when scoring by a neck (soft) nine days later (fourth has won since); this looks tougher, but she has nothing to prove stamina-wise nor if the ground remains on the soft side; could go well.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

4th

5

(5)

2nd Feb 2024

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 6

17:15 Newcastle (AW)

Catena

9st 4lb

J: Liam Wright

T: Darryll Holland

Turf winner at about 7f; has raced over a range of trips for new connections (1m, 1m4f and 7f) and didn't get much luck in running at Wolverhampton two weeks ago; worth another go at 1m but is quite exposed and unraced here.

10/1

6th

6

(1)

20th Jan 2024

Standard

0m 7f 36y

Class 6

17:00 Wolverhampton (AW)

Catena

9st 6lb

J: Liam Wright

T: Darryll Holland

in touch with leaders

7/1

Form: 2

Last run: 16 days

W: 9st 4lb

2 yo Colt

OR:

Form & Verdict
7-1 when second of 13 on his Redcar debut (6f, good) last month; bred for middle distances on the dam's side so the extra furlong should suit and a major player for yard operating at a 26% strike-rate with its 2yos this year.
Place /
No / Draw
Date / Going /
Distance / Class
Time + Course Horse + Weight
Jockey / Trainer
Verdict Starting price

2nd

2

(1)

15th Sep 2023

Good

1m 0f 0y

Class 3

15:50 Sandown

Dark Encounter

9st 2lb

J: Sam James

T: K R Burke

raced in last, went second but soon lost ground under 2f out, weakening when jockey almost dropped whip final furlong

4/6

1st

2

(5)

8th Sep 2023

Standard

1m 0f 5y

Class 3

16:30 Newcastle (AW)

Dark Encounter

9st 7lb

J: Sam James

T: K R Burke

Improved for the switch to nurseries when keeping on for fourth at York two weeks ago (7f, good to firm; hung left); that effort suggested he was ready for 1m and he needs serious consideration on AW debut.

15/8

4th

18

(17)

24th Aug 2023

Good To Firm

0m 7f 0y

Class 2

16:45 York

Dark Encounter

8st 5lb

J: Saffie Osborne

T: K R Burke

Promising second of 13 on his Redcar debut (6f, good) in June; hasn't built on that over 7f twice since and needs to get back on the up now handicapping.

25/1

+o+e Accumulators

Payout
Exacta £17.20
Straight Forecast £16.61
Trifecta £249.00

Selections

SPOTLIGHT:

Dark Encounter

RP RATINGS:

Land Lover

The Star:

Catena

TOPSPEED:

Land Lover

D Express:

Land Lover

The Sun:

Land Lover

POSTDATA:

Dark Encounter

The Times:

Dark Encounter

Telegraph:

Dark Encounter

The Guardian:

Dark Encounter

Daily Mail:

Dark Encounter

Daily Mirror:

Dark Encounter

Daily Record:

Catena