Features / Timeform / 26 August 2010 / Leave a comment Free £25 Bet

Timeform looks at a maiden contested by a raft of promising juveniles...

"Ashva was only ninth, but made a most promising debut and is taken to prove one of the best in this field eventually"

4.05 RACING POST CONVIVIAL MAIDEN STAKES

A valuable maiden and an above-average one, with big yards and good pedigrees, and plenty of them had already shaped with promise, anyway. The pace was sound and there's no reason to doubt the result on the day, allowing that some were obviously more ready than others. The race as a whole appeals as one to keep an eye on.

The winner Moriarty has learnt with each run, and that pattern of progress should continue for a while yet. He impressed with the smooth way in which he went about things, tracking the second going well and responding well as he got on top in the final 100 yards. He promises to be suited by a mile, and should go on to better things.

Runner-up El Muqbil will surely win a maiden soon, looking likely to do so for much of this, travelling best of all and showing a good turn of foot to briefly go clear approaching the last. He was caught by a stronger stayer as much as anything, and is likely to be at least as effective at 6f.

Star Of Dance will keep improving, more clued here up than at Sandown on debut, but still showing signs of inexperience. He was left in a poor position after a slow start and caught the eye with the headway he made once getting organised in the straight, ending up third. He ought to break his maiden before long, and is a strong, imposing colt, with the scope to train on well.

Ashva was only ninth, but made a most promising debut and is taken to prove one of the best in this field eventually. He caught the eye with how he travelled until after 3f out, almost upsides briefly before his greenness came to the fore. He looked clueless when put under pressure and wasn't unduly knocked about. Ashva should improve a lot with this run behind him, and is a juvenile to follow.

Terdaad finished one place behind Ashva, but is another who shaped with promise on debut. His position at the head of the betting speaks volumes about the regard in which he's held, and he looks sure to improve considerably from this. He was much too green to express himself, and wasn't given an unduly hard race.

Tags: Race to Watch, Timeform, York