Timeform analysis | Strong form to follow from Royal Ascot

Thursday, 16 June

King George V Stakes, 1m4f

A cracking field on paper, and a good one on looks too, chock full of lightly-raced, improving horses with good pedigrees, and it's sure to produce plenty of winners for the remainder of the summer, even if the result might not be the most solid, less than 2 and a half lengths covering the first 7 home, with the next wave right on their heels too, after the pace had been a fair bit steadier than the following small-field Ribblesdale, a position close to the front an advantage, the fourth and fifth producing among the fastest final 3f times from further back, while most of the jockeys drawn high chose to take back meaning, rather rarely for this C&D, that low draws dominated, 6 of the first 7 home emerging from a single-figure berth.

Secret State only made his debut in the Wood Ditton but has now won 3 times since at a variety of trips and landing a Royal Ascot handicap just 2 months into his career is no mean feat, a tough and professional individual who's open to further improvement, even if he's by no means guaranteed to confirm this form should he meet some of those who finished very close behind him again near to hand, soon in the box seat tracking the pace and finding everything panning out smoothly, including the leader rolling off the inside to allow him through early in the straight, quickening to lead under 2f out, edging left briefly and just holding on.

Deauville Legend looked suited by the longer trip and took his form up further still, having to go down as a little unlucky, not meeting loads of trouble but enough in a race that went perfectly for the winner; raced along inside, chased leaders, travelled well, not clear run from 3f out, got gap 2f out, challenged inside final 1f, stayed on, just failed; will go on improving and can make amends in something similar before long.

Israr, upped in trip, ran at least as well in defeat as when winning the London Gold Cup the time before, sure to remain competitive in other good races even if perhaps he doesn't quite have the same potential as some of those around him; tracked pace, travelled fluently, every chance 2f out, challenged until well inside final 1f.

Savvy Knight might have lost his unbeaten record but enhanced both his reputation and his rating in defeat, leaving the impression that he was found wanting for a bit of know-how at a crucial stage before coming home faster than anything bar Flying Dolphin among the leading half of the field; bumped start, mid-field, pushed along/ran a bit green under 4f out, had to pick way through 2f out, headway over 1f out, kept on well; open to further improvement.

Flying Dolphin, upped in trip for handicap debut on firmer ground than previously, shaped really well from a tricky position, coming home quicker than anything; in rear, still plenty to do under 3f out, denied a run over 2f out, headway 1f out, best work finish, not ideally placed; definitely one to note for something similar.

Teumessias Fox ran at least as well as previously, as expected looking suited by the step up in trip, and he's likely to stay 1¾m too; raced along inside, mid-field, progress 2f out, stayed on.

Surrey Mist ran creditably, up 5 lb for his close second at Newbury, unable to reverse form with Israr but giving another very good account of himself upped in trip; mid-field, angled out turning for home but bumped slightly and forced back in briefly soon after, headway under 2f out, ran on.

Mr Alan ran creditably back in a handicap in first-time cheekpieces, not having an issue with firmer ground than previously; raced off the pace, headway when forced wide early in straight, stayed on.

Newfoundland, making handicap debut, ran well on form and was a shade better than the result; raced along inside, mid-division, shuffled back a bit 4f out, headway under 2f out, slightly short of room inside final 1f, kept on, not persevered with once held; remains capable of better.

Inverness, sweating and on his toes beforehand, wasn't disgraced after 8 weeks off making handicap debut over 2f longer trip, this another race that didn't show him to best effect; held up, still plenty to do under 3f out, came wide straight, hung right under 2f out, plugged on, not ideally placed.

Franz Strauss, making handicap debut, ran well for a long way in first-time cheekpieces, leaving the impression that a stiff-looking mark was a bigger problem than the longer trip; led, headed under 2f out having rolled off the inside, no extra, not persevered with once held.

Balhambar had been improving steadily in maiden/novice company and this isn't a fair race on which to judge him, steadied/dropped right out from the outside stall and still miles back 3f out before making late headway, clocking the second quickest final 3f of any runner and sure to be fully effective at this trip another day; remains capable of better.

Schmilsson was competitive for a long way on his handicap debut before leaving the impression that he was stretched by this 2f longer trip, speed having been the main feature of his Bath win the time before; chased leaders, every chance briefly 2f out, faded over 1f out.

Mandobi, making handicap debut, can have this run overlooked, racing at least 3 deep throughout; raced wide, mid-division, effort when forced even wider home turn, faded over 1f out, edged right; remains open to improvement.

Post Impressionist, whose form last time is proving really strong, 4 horses from that contest already successful on their next start, including the previous day's Queen's Vase winner, was very well fancied in the betting but appeared far too green to do himself justice in a race like this, certainly well worth another chance to prove his opening mark a very fair one; held up, ran very green/freely racing at close quarters, well off pace 3f out, never involved; remains with potential.

Achnamara is better judged on previous form, stuck deep on the track with no cover until past halfway; raced wide, mid-division, took keen hold, chased leaders 3f out, carried head bit awkwardly, edged right/short of room under 2f out and hung more markedly right as he dropped away; type to bounce back quickly.

Vina Sena was far too free to do do himself justice upped in trip; missed the break, in rear, raced freely, pulled way into prominent position out wide before halfway, dropped away 2f out, carried right.

Berkshire Rebel is handicapped on his 2-y-o form and did no better than previously this year under a top claimer; dwelt, raced well off the pace, labouring 3f out, never involved.

Yashin can have a line put through this run, said to have been moving poorly and returning stiff behind on firmer ground than previously; slowly into stride, raced off the pace, struggling 4f out, dropped away 3f out; remains open to improvement.

Friday, 17 June

Duke of Edinburgh Stakes, 1m4f

There was talk in the lead up to this meeting of a potential Haggas-trained Group horse in the Duke of Edinburgh and that's exactly how it looked, no fewer than 6 lengths the winning margin, only the horse in question was meant to be Gaassee, Candleford finding his way towards the top of the betting in his stablemate's absence and proving a more than able deputy, an unrelenting gallop the platform for a big performance, those who chased him home including a handicap debutant on the Flat and another 4-y-o on a real roll, helping to give the form a really solid look.

Candleford produced a chunk of improvement on top of a promising first season that had culminated in a ready victory over Tuesday's Ascot Stakes winner Coltrane 7 months earlier, an end-to-end gallop over this trip allowing him to tear apart what had looked a really competitive contest; waited with on outer from his high draw, travelled well, good headway early in straight, led over 1f out, stormed clear; he's open to further improvement and there's little doubt he's got the talent to operate at pattern level, though the Ebor will surely be too tempting to swerve first, every chance that he's even better at 1¾m.

Ajero mightn't have won a race on the Flat yet but the decision to give it a try in this sphere has been fully vindicated after he beat all bar a lobbed-in unexposed one in a Royal Ascot handicap, having been right up with the strong pace too in a race in which the pair he split both came from the second half of the field; close up, led entering straight, edged right but went clear briefly, headed over 1f out, kept on, no match for winner.

Contact couldn't bring up the hat-trick in an even more competitive handicap but still ran a fine race in defeat, following the winner into the straight but not able to pick up as explosively as that one, staying on gradually to take third in the final 100 yds, a return to further perhaps the key to him eking out some more progress this summer.

Brilliant Light, back up in trip, seemed to match the form of his Ripon win despite things not going absolutely ideally; mid-field, tried to angle out but kept in under 4f out, denied a run again early in straight, stayed on gradually once in clear.

Kelly's Dino, fitter for reappearance, proved that he retains plenty of ability, in the firing line and losing third only in the final 100 yds; chased leaders, second briefly under 2f out, kept on.

Sir Rumi, back down in trip, is better than he could show here, on a good mark for when things drop more kindly; in rear, denied a run 2f out, had to switch and pick way through, ran on, nearest at the finish.

Cemhaan couldn't progress any further back down in trip but, equally, left the impression that he should have finished closer, beginning his run alongside the third when hemmed in by that one and rather stuck in traffic thereafter; slowly into stride, raced off the pace, met some trouble over 2f out, edged right, finished with running left.

Just Fine couldn't match his York form but wasn't disgraced at all and was a bit better than the result, looking booked for sixth when horses converged on him slightly late on; mid-field, met some trouble over 2f out, progress soon after, keeping on when short of room inside final 1f, not persevered with once held.

Stay Well shaped as if still in good form but didn't see his race out as well as might have been expected back up in trip; in touch, progress 3f out, threatened briefly 2f out, not quicken final 1f.

Gold Maze didn't shape badly in the face of a stiff task; mid-division, bumped around 4f out, effort over 3f out, brief headway, effort flattened out.

Trawlerman, after 9 weeks off, can have this run overlooked, firmly on the back foot from his low draw after he was the slowest away; awkward leaving stalls and lost several lengths, raced well off the pace, not clear run under 3f out, some late headway, not knocked about.

Kenzai Warrior, upped in trip, found this too competitive returning from 5 months off; dropped out, still plenty to do 2f out, hung right over 1f out, late headway.

Moktasaab seemed not to get home retried over 1½m, mid-division, not clear run over 3f out, faded from 2f out.

Longbourn was well held under an aggressive ride back up half a mile in trip; led until entering straight, faded.

State of Bliss didn't have the excuses of last time, just a poor run, but it doesn't mean he won't bounce back; chased leaders, took strong hold, starting to weaken when checked slightly under 3f out, hung right, dropped away.

Chichester, after 9 weeks off, was beaten by more than the trip, a mark 12 lb higher than when he was last in a handicap demanding plenty of him; dwelt, raced along inside off the pace, struggling under 3f out, never on terms.

Cap Francais, trying this trip for the first time since his 3-y-o days, didn't have the very best of runs but, equally, may well have gone off the boil, certainly not the most trustworthy individual; raced along inside, mid-division, shuffled back under 3f out, no chance after and carried head bit awkwardly.

Mashhoor ran too badly to be true, a winner on good to form for his previous yard but his current trainer suggesting to the stewards that the horse would prefer easier ground; chased leaders, pushed along under 4f out, dropped away under 3f out.

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