Timeform analysis | Strong form and horses to follow
Timeform highlight a couple of competitive handicaps races which should throw up plenty of winners.
Friday 7 October
1½m handicap, Newmarket
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Despite the SPs of the first three home, this looks like typically strong form for this valuable late-season three-year-old handicap, no shortage of form from similar events through the summer brought to the table, not hard to think there could be some big handicap winners in 2023 lurking; the pace was sound and the time was pretty good but, as so often at this track, a handy position did seem an advantage, the third shaping very well in the circumstances from much further back.
Al Nafir hadn't got home in the Melrose two starts previously and mightn't have been over that run at Ascot, but put it all together this time, producing the sort of performance that his reappearance second to a filly that has gone on to be placed at listed level indicated he was capable of, the margin over a stablemate only narrow but he had more in hand than that suggests; never far away, travelled fluently, edged ahead a furlong out, always holding on and had bit in hand; a well-made brother to Ghaiyyath, there's surely better to come in 2023, leaving the impression here that he'd have no issue with dropping back to a well-run 1¼m.
Wild Crusade had misfired in the Melrose and at Ascot, but got right back on the up in first-time blinkers, giving 8 lb to a very promising stablemate and pushing that one all the way courtesy of a smart effort; chased leader, took over three furlongs out, headed when hung right entering final furlong, rallied; he's well worth another try at 1¾m.
Haunted Dream is really likeable and ran a cracker back on turf in a deeper race, doing well under the circumstances given from how much further back than the first pair he began his run; waited with, took keen hold, steady headway out wide from three furlongs out, took third a furlong out, ran on but never getting to first two; plainly still on a good mark, he'll make obvious appeal again, particularly back on all-weather.
La Yakel couldn't fully repeat the form of his Ascot win, that run perhaps having taken the edge off him slightly, not that he was disgraced at all; mid-field, pushed along over three furlongs out, headway two furlongs out, stayed on gradually; only five runs into his career, he's open to further improvement, no surprise were he to reappear in the Jorvik Stakes at the Dante meeting in the spring, a race Haggas has won with lightly-raced improvers in these colours for the past two years.
First Ruler again finished just behind La Yakel but is better than he could show here, encountering some traffic problems and then looking very unbalanced into the Dip; chased leaders, not clear run from three furlongs out, kept on, not knocked about; remains capable of better.
Paradias again ran creditably, in a deeper race and over a longer trip than previously; held up, not settle fully, headway when not clear run under three furlongs out.
Sea King, whose Haydock from was franked at York earlier in the afternoon, was never really in a position to challenge back down in trip, a return to further probably in store; held up, driven over two furlongs out, plugged on.
Thundering was ridden far more prominently this time and had no excuses, in there pitching until late on; tracked pace, close up three furlongs out, faded final furlong.
Sheer Rocks ran respectably after seven weeks off, getting himself involved from off the pace; held up, progress halfway, chased leaders three furlongs out, edged right a furlong out, one paced.
Educator didn't come on from the previous week's return to action, hard to think he failed for stamina (should stay); mid-division, pushed along three furlongs out, always around same position; he's in top hands and there's still time for him to fulfil his potential.
Maksud didn't really fire reverted to patient tactics in a first-time hood; steadied at the start, held up, effort under three furlongs out, not knocked about, never landed a blow.
Caius Chorister had come up short in a listed race at Longchamp last time and couldn't fare any better than that back in a handicap; soon led, headed three furlongs out, faded.
Simply Sondheim, after six weeks off, seemed to find a combination of the much stiffer race and the two furlong longer trip too much bidding for a seventh straight win; in touch, effort around three furlongs out, faded from two furlongs out.
Berkshire Rebel ran too badly to be true, though it's been an underwhelming season in general; dwelt, raced well off the pace, went in snatches, left behind three furlongs out.
Baltic Bird settled better this time back down in trip but was quickly struggling when asked for his effort; mid-division, weakened three furlongs out, eased two furlongs out; he's tall and may well get back on the up next year given a bit of time.
Cosmic Desert, upped in trip after nine weeks off, shaped as if amiss; steadied at the start, dropped out, struggling four furlongs out, hung right, eased three furlongs out.
Friday 7 October
1¾m handicap, York
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It could be argued that this was a bit light on quality for a 0-105, just one of the field with a BHA rating within 12 lb of the ceiling after all, but it was undoubtedly a competitive affair and surely represents good form, three of the first five having been involved in the messy race won by Double Cherry at Haydock last month and several down the field sure to make plenty of appeal in lesser handicaps; the field came stand side in the straight and Zain Nights was short of room as things got a bit tight towards the rail at one point.
Post Impressionist had been unfortunate at Haydock and improved again as he won his first handicap, relishing the emphasis on stamina at the trip; mid-field, headway over three furlongs out, led under pressure over a furlong out, forged clear; he's likely to stay two miles the way he's shaping.
Double Cherry couldn't confirm placings with Post Impressionist from Haydock but did at least as well in terms of form; held up, headway under pressure two furlongs out, stayed on; he's a reliable sort.
The Gadget Man was wisely ridden to make use of his stamina kept to this trip and acquitted himself well back against three-year-olds; made running, headed home turn, went on again early in straight, headed two furlongs out, stayed on; he's the type to do well in staying handicaps next season.
Nathanael Greene had gone up 8 lb for Haydock and pretty much backed up that form after three months off, seeming to cope well enough with the softer ground; chased leaders, challenged three furlongs out, edged ahead briefly two furlongs out, not quicken final furlong.
Flamborough shaped similarly to last time, coping fine with the softer conditions, and has done more than enough on his last two starts to think he'll be really interesting back in a lesser handicap, still qualified for 0-80s after all; dropped out, progress from two furlongs out, nearest at the finish.
Neandra, after eight weeks off, shaped better than the distance beaten suggests having just her second outing on turf and can be placed to advantage from this sort of mark back in lesser company, impressing with the way she travelled for a long way faced with much more of a test of stamina than previously; held up, smooth headway over three furlongs out, not quicken over a furlong out.
Zain Nights, in first-time blinkers, probably remains in form, a bit wider than ideal in the back straight and suffering some in-running trouble in the home straight; in touch, short of room from three furlongs out, not quicken two furlongs out, not unduly punished.
Adjuvant produced a rare below-par effort, possible his effort on very firm ground at Haydock had taken the edge off him given he seemed more likely than most to benefit from the return to softer conditions; dropped out, laboured progress two furlongs out, made little impression.
A La Francaise, upped in trip, faced a stiff task from out of the handicap and shaped as if still in good form, doing plenty early with a claimer back up; prominent, not settle fully, faded over a furlong out.
Zimmerman, turned out again quickly, had no easy task under a penalty and seemed outclassed in much better company; patiently ridden, shaken up approaching straight, left behind over two furlongs out.
Pons Aelius, who sweated up beforehand, found run of good form coming to a halt, possibly unsuited by the softer conditions; pressed leader, edged ahead home turn, headed early in straight, dropped away over two furlongs out.
Aimeric, on softer ground than previously, seemed unsuited by conditions and is better judged on his Ayr form; held up, shaken up approaching straight, no response, beaten over two furlongs out, eased.
Dark Moon Rising ran badly in first-time blinkers and is proving hard to place, his handicap mark prohibitive; mid-field, pushed along five furlongs out, beaten three furlongs out.
Mostly Sunny produced a laboured effort even allowing for the fact it was asking a lot for him to be concerned in the finish; mid-field, off the bridle long way out, beaten early in straight.
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