Timeform Eyecatcher of the Day

Timeform Eyecatcher: Sunday

WHISTLEJACKET

Runner-up, 6f maiden, Curragh, Sunday 21 April

A maiden made up largely of newcomers and the two that pulled well clear both rate as above-average prospects.

Whistlejacket cost 500,000 guineas as a yearling, bred in the purple - he's a brother to the same connections' very smart Little Big Bear - and he was strong in the betting for his debut.

He shaped with plenty of encouragement, too, impressing with how easily he moved through the race, but just headed in the closing stages. Whistlejacket seems sure to come on for this experience and looks a banker for a similar event next time, while he is also a horse to follow when moving into pattern company later in the season.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Saturday

WHISTLEINTHEDARK

Ninth, Scottish Grand National, Ayr, Saturday 20 April

Whistleinthedark shaped as well as he has in what has been a light season, much better than the bare result of ninth in the Scottish Grand National as his stamina gave way trying an extreme trip for the first time.

Sent up from Leicestershire by trainer Laura Morgan, Whistleinthedark pressed the leaders early on, going with zest and edging ahead at the eighteenth, remaining prominent until four out where he started to feel the pinch.

Whistleinthedark will be of interest back around 3m or possibly even shorter next time, and it’s worth remembering that he reeled off a four-timer last spring.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Friday

RASHABAR

Third, 5f maiden, Newbury, Friday 19 April

A newcomers race which has a record of being one of the more interesting early two-year-old races, with three of the last four winners going on to be smart performers, and this running also has the potential to throw up an above-average performer or two.

Rashabar finished third to the promising winner, but he shaped with plenty of encouragement, despite being in clear need of the experience (he was green and noisy beforehand).

A well-grown juvenile, he attracted support at long odds, and still had every chance entering the final furlong, short of room briefly and staying on well to the line. He looks a sure-fire improver and is well up to winning a similar event next time, while his physique suggests he will go on improving right through the year.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Thursday

ASIAN STAR

Fifth, 2m1f bumper, Cheltenham, Thursday 18 April

The proximity of some outsiders in the finish may lead to some question marks over the form, but with the winner Anno Power looking very talented, it’s worth noting the performance of the fifth home Asian Star.

Asian Star is from the family of the high-class 2¼m-3m hurdle winner Asian Maze and she may well have made a winning debut, shaping so well she'd likely have gone close had things broken better for her.

Dropped out, with still plenty to do out wide half a mile out, Asian Star was closing when badly hampered over a furlong out and then again in the final 100 yads, finished with running left. Open to improvement, she's well worth another chance.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Wednesday

MISS RASCAL

Sixth, 5f fillies’ maiden, Newmarket, Wednesday 17 April

The first two two-year-olds which Paul & Oliver Cole had run this season were winners, including Arran at Newmarket the previous day, and while Miss Rascal couldn’t maintain that 100% record she very much caught the eye on her debut with the penny dropping only late on.

Taking on twelve other newcomers, Miss Rascal was hampered at the start and ran green in rear but made good headway approaching the final furlong and finished with running left to take sixth, just under three lengths behind the winner It Ain’t Two.

By Havana Gold, Miss Rascal is sure to be more clued up next time for a stable that’s clearly got some precocious youngsters.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Tuesday

HUMBLE SPARK

Second, 1m2f handicap, Newcastle, Tuesday 16 April

Highlighting a 10-race maiden might not be the usual route to riches but Humble Spark shaped well at Newcastle on Tuesday night and has races in him from this sort of mark, as he only just failed to peg back a well-backed improver from the John Butler yard who got first run.

It’s also worth pointing out that Humble Spark got a little upset going into the stalls, so he might not be the most straightforward of horses, but granted a stronger gallop next time he should prove hard to beat.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Monday

REACHING HIGH

Sixth, 1m2f novice, Windsor, Monday 15 April

The winner Harper’s Ferry was very solid in the market and won as anticipated, but there was a lot to like about the performance of the eventual sixth Reaching High.

Gelded since last seen, Reaching High has plenty of stamina in his pedigree and caught the eye over a three-furlong longer trip after seven months off, by no means given a hard time on this qualifying run for handicaps.

A half-brother to three winners, including 1¾m-16.2f winner Evaluation and 1¼m-14.5f winner Calculation (both useful and by Dubawi) and out of the 1½m-2½m (Gold Cup) winner Estimate, Reaching High is open to lots of improvement in handicaps as his stamina is drawn out.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Sunday

PLAYTOGETAWAY

Runner-up, 2m4f handicap hurdle, Hereford, Sunday 14 April

They weren't strung out at the finish under speed-favouring conditions, but that's not to knock the form of a race that saw last-time winners in first and third split by Playtogetaway that shaped well back from a break.

He shaped encouragingly on his return from 11 weeks off for all he couldn't sustain a big move that momentarily took him to the front before the winner rallied.

Playtogetaway went through the race like the best horse at the weights, but the lack of a recent run seemingly told in the closing stages, and he remains a horse to be positive about, sure to go on and win more races from this sort of mark.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Saturday

JOHNNYWHO

Fourth, 3m handicap hurdle, Aintree, Saturday 13 April

Another deep renewal of this premier handicap and, with plenty of the market principals coming to the fore, it looks strong form, and one horse to take out of the race is Johnnywho.

He was one of the least exposed in the field on his handicap debut, and he went through the race like a horse ahead of his mark, shaping second best on the day and better than the bare result.

Johnnywho led briefly at the second-last but was left behind at the final flight by the progressive winner and had nothing left to give on the run-in. On this evidence, a drop back in trip will suit him well, while he is also a fine looker, very much the type to make up into a smart novice chaser next season.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Friday

JANGO BAIE

Runner-up, 2½m handicap hurdle, Aintree, Friday 12 April

Jango Baie looks one to follow after he was an unlucky loser in one of the strongest handicap hurdles of the season at Aintree on Friday.

Jango Baie, who was settled in midfield on the inside, was short of room on the home turn but met the most significant interference soon after the second last when hampered by a faller and then carried left.

That effectively ended his chance but he stormed home in extraordinary fashion, reducing the deficit from around seven lengths at the final flight to a length and three-quarters at the line.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Thursday

ROMEO MAGICO

Sixth, 2m5f chase, Aintree, Thursday 11 April

Its On The Line confirmed himself the best hunter chaser around in this year's edition of the Foxhunters, but his stablemate, Romeo Magico, is well worth keeping an eye on with the future in mind.

He was well supported, starting second favourite behind his stablemate, and he shaped most encouragingly considering this was just his fourth start under Rules, that lack of experience probably catching up with him having briefly threatened to make more of a race of it with the principals turning for home.

Romeo Magico is remarkably young for a hunter chaser, so is one to follow in this sphere next season with Its On The Line a perfect example of what his yard can do with such a type.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Wednesday

SPIRITED DANCER

Runner-up, 5f fillies' novice, Kempton, Wednesday 10 April

Spirited Dancer comes from a good family - her dam is a half-sister to Irish 1000 Guineas winner Bethrah - and she shaped encouragingly when runner-up on debut at Kempton on Wednesday.

Spirited Dancer was slowly into stride and raced off the pace but she made progress entering the final furlong and ran on well, looking like the penny was really starting to drop, to get to within a neck of the winner.

A lack of early sharpness counted against Spirited Dancer but she should benefit from the experience and is likely to be suited by a step up to six furlongs.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Tuesday

CATTON LADY

Third, 7f handicap, Thirsk, Tuesday 9 April

Catton Lady shaped well on her first run of the year for Mick & David Easterby, stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time after a sprinting campaign at two and on softer ground (heavy) than previously too.

She did particularly well as a tailwind in the straight made it hard to get involved from the rear throughout the card, but having raced off the pace and still with plenty to do under two furlongs out, she stayed on to take third, just under three lengths behind winner Sea The Dream.

Successful on her debut at Carlisle last year, Catton Lady split a couple of fairly useful colts when runner-up in a novice at Pontefract on her penultimate two-year-old start and is one to be interested in, with stiffer tests bound to suit on this evidence.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Monday

DEVOIRS CHOICE

Fourth, 1m novice, Lingfield, Monday 8 April

Having his third run in novices on the all-weather in recent months, the Ed Walker-trained Devoirs Choice showed similar form to his previous starts whilst running an eye-catching race in the end.

Held up in a race run at just a steady gallop, Devoirs Choice was hampered briefly early in the straight before keeping on well in the final furlong and finished with running left to take fourth, five and a half lengths behind winning favourite Cynosure.

Raced only at a mile so far, Devoirs Choice, whose dam won at a mile and a half, will improve as his stamina is drawn out and looks the type who’ll be of interest in handicaps.

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