General - Will there be any better quality in the race or will it be another sub-OR70 affair like the last 3 years with the best runner from the race managing a bogus OR70+ rating during the season? Since the real good quality from the early Folkestone races depends on Hannon & Channon is it a good sign they both have runners? Hannon has started some of his best colts on debut here over the years like Monsieur Chevalier. But, is that where the wheels fall off? Both the Hannon & Channon reps are on STO and both are entered in Sellers in the coming week. With the Evans second string also seller entered are we down to expecting somewhere pretty unusual from the Turner & Moore newcomers for even a hint of OR70+?
Marchwood - Does the fact he was one of three entries for the Brocklesby mean he is at the better end of the Stan Moore bargain-bin set? He has already said that Tiger Sunset is the best of those and he ran poorly at Dundalk on debut and his two debuts in Britain so far have been typically uncompetitive. This one would need to be wholly untypical like Nikindi was in winning here FTO to be prominent. Perhaps one at the solid end of his debut range? At the anecdotal level, does naming one after the owner's company with no suffix mean anything?
Maypole Joe - Was he as slow as he looked in the Brocklesby? Will he take as long to develop and win as Adranian who played the same role for the trainer in 2011? Was the STO win by Dreamy Ciara and indicator that he can get them to snap together STO off 'lost' debuts or was she untypical? Will he improve further his very good record with STO runs up to early May which has been the bedrock of his profitable areas with STO runners? He has had four STO winners by early May in both 2010 & 2011 and profitable in various categories. Bit, since he only rarely gets wins off breaks to STO less than 8 days was Dreamy Ciara and unusual one in a soft race or a trend? He was 2 wins from 30 goes with STOs off those short breaks since 2005 until yesterday's possible blip?
Missing Agent - Another Evans second string and seller entered at Warwick next Monday, with Relay & Perfect Words. Another family owned rabbit?.
Perfect Words - Entered for sellers at Musselburgh on Sunday & Warwick next Monday. Does this confirm he is the 'Type 2' Brocklesby runner like Triggerlo for the trainer? Does this help to pin the quality of the Brocklesby down and confirm the CP placement? How good is Mick at assessing what quality to drop into sellers? A mixed story and he does fine dropping the home bred rabbits he has but anyone can spot those. Is he too impetuous and short fused at times? What would you make of running Mister Hughie in a seller and entering Pintura in one as a 2yo? The first of those was eventually rated OR105 and the second has improved every season since and is currently competing for owner Koukash off OR99. Both that pair were rated around OR70, not competing strongly off that mark and smaller types, when the seller urge took Mick over. Does that say something about the quality level he thinks might be worth losing? He ran one he got rid of in a seller in this race in 2010 so does that mean the maiden rather than seller outing doesn't suggest an immediate improver? Will PW end up running in one of the sellers as well, or both, since Mick likes to keep the youngsters busy.
Judy In Disguise - What sort of debut for Turner will this be? He tends to start seller class ones in the race and they usually do not have enough umph to win even if they are ready enough. Where will the umph & readiness versus soft race balance land here?
Relay - Presumably, a STO filly in the early Folkestone races will mean a limited one? Is she seller entered because she has an attitude problem and is troublesome rather useless? She was given a 'Bad Horse' ride at Kempton as if she was a nuisance. Hannon has said in the past he would rather get rid of the troublesome ones because with 200+ horses in the yard they do not have the time for pandering to individuals. But, is Hannon also wary of letting anything go in a seller if he thinks it might be OR70+, or certainly not until they have win a race with it? Unlike some trainers it is rare to see a Hannon 'get rid' seller runner produce much for the new stable. So does the maiden run mean something in that case? Unlike Evans Hannon has a very good record with runners on STO off breaks less than 8 days. 10 wins from 27 goes 2009-11 with 7 others placed. How will Relay behave and shape up in her personal last-chance-saloon?
