Izuba (13:30 York — Irish Thoroughbred Marketing EBF Maiden Stakes, Class 2, 7f)
A two-year-old bay colt by Siyouni, trained by Andrew Balding — in fine form at 20% over the last 14 days — and partnered by P J McDonald at York, a jockey who knows this track as well as anyone. Izuba made an encouraging debut at Ascot on 25 July, finishing second of nine at 13/2 despite being relatively unfancied, beaten 1½ lengths by Never Enough whilst finishing strongly — his sectional data showed an above-average time performance that bodes well.
The step up from 6f to 7f today should suit on his breeding — he’s a half-brother to Seola, a 1m 3f winner — and Balding’s yard is renowned for its juveniles improving significantly between their first and second starts. In an 11-runner field, his debut form combined with the natural improvement expected makes him a clear selection.
Verdict: Back to win — promising debut, Balding yard in form, step up in trip suits, and second-start improvement expected to be significant. 🏇
