Timeform highlight two races that look like strong pieces of form and should work out well.
Sunday, May 8
Leopardstown, 1m4f three-year-old maiden
An up-to-scratch renewal of what is traditionally a strong maiden, Fumata ending Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on the race with a near-useful effort, whilst there was no shortage of promise in behind, most notably from the fourth.
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus Benefits
Fumata, whose form was boosted by Stone Age later on the card, confirmed that debut promise in the manner of a smart prospect, never stronger than at the finish tackling a mile and a half for the first time; mid-field, good headway entering straight, challenged over a furlong out, stayed on to lead inside final furlong, well on top finish; will go on improving.
Waterville again shaped well, more patiently ridden than the pair he split and paying the price for a big move into contention from the home turn; held up, still plenty to do entering straight, rapid headway under two furlongs out, challenged approaching final furlong, effort flattened out; remains capable of better and is a banker for a similar race.
Como Park ran well after seven months off, entitled to come on for this both in terms of fitness and experience; chased leader, led three furlongs out, tackled over a furlong out, faded late on; remains with potential.
Gulliver's Travels is bred in the purple and caught the eye given a considerate introduction; mid-division, shaken up home turn, ran green, kept on well final furlong under a hands-and-heels ride; open to significant improvement.
Mercury Mission is bred to be useful and made a promising start to career; chased leader, effort over two furlongs out, weakened final furlong; entitled to progress.
First Emperor shaped similarly to as on debut in first-time tongue strap and over two furlong longer trip; waited with, ridden entering straight, kept on, never better than mid-field.
War Correspondent had finished sixth in a barrier trial at Dundalk in 2021 and showed plenty to work on tongue tied for debut; slowly into stride, in rear, effort before home turn, ran green, kept on and not given at all a hard time; will improve.
Captain Hornblower ran to a similar level as on debut upped in trip; headway approaching straight, ridden over two furlongs out, no further impression.
Carlton Gardens made plenty of appeal on paper and offered something to work on; mid-field, ridden when bumped entering straight, not quicken; should improve.
Fleet Commander failed to progress from debut under an aggressive ride; forced pace, headed three furlongs out, weakened.
Fourofakind wasn't in the same form as last time; held up, struggling three furlongs out, beaten early in straight.
Friday, May 13
York, 1m4f three-year-old handicap
Quite often this race is well worth following, and it's not hard to think this is strong form once more, the whole field unexposed and going the right way; the gallop was sound and the time very good, the first three stretching away from the rest late on.
Unlimited Replays
of all UK and Irish races with our Race Replays
Discover Sporting Life Plus BenefitsAl Qareem progressed again, very well suited by the step up in trip as he bossed a strong-looking race; made all, kicked on under three furlongs out, edged right over a furlong out, kept going well; his stable is in very good nick at present, but he seems likely to progress further at this trip all the same, the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot surely on the agenda next.
Wild Crusade met with defeat switched to turf but still improved further while leaving the impression there's more to come; mid-division, took keen hold, headway when not clear run over two furlongs out, took second a furlong out, stayed on; remains capable of better.
Lady Labelle, largely unconsidered in the betting switched to a handicap on the back of just two runs, also on turf for the first time, nonetheless took a clear step forward and hasn't shown all she can yet, sure to be of interest for something similar, and perhaps even black type against her own sex not an unrealistic ambition later in the season; patiently ridden, not settle fully, progress under two furlongs out, stayed on, nearest at the finish; better to come.
New Comedy, making handicap debut, ran to a similar level to when defying a penalty in a Haydock novice the time before, just not as well handicapped as the three ahead; chased leader, effort under three furlongs out, edged right briefly two furlongs out, one paced.
Achnamara ran better than last time, doing best of his yard's three runners in the race, but was still below his Wolverhampton form; in touch, headway over two furlongs out, no further impression, not unduly punished.
Speycaster, on firmer ground than previously, had shaped encouragingly when third to Al Qareem at Nottingham and was 8 lb better off, but he went backwards from that, hardly shaping like it was stamina alone that did for him; mid-field, pushed along over three furlongs out, left behind over a furlong out.
Pons Aelius seemed to find this much better race a step too far at this stage; tracked pace, took keen hold, not quicken over two furlongs out, faded a furlong out.
Super Stars ran no sort of race over this two-furlong longer trip, perhaps not just the track that had unsettled him at Newmarket after all, this quite a worrying display in truth, a gelding operation most certainly now an option; held up, took strong hold, labouring three furlongs out, wandered/carried head bit awkwardly, dropped away.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
