Timeform Eyecatcher of the Day

Timeform Eyecatcher: Saturday

VALLEY OF FLOWERS

Runner-up, 2m handicap, York, Saturday 13 July

Valley of Flowers' BHA rating rose by 20 lb during a productive campaign last season that featured four wins. However, her effort at York on Saturday suggests that she's still capable of winning off her current mark.

Valley of Flowers, who took a typically strong hold in rear, made good headway out wide turning for home and travelled smoothly into a challenging position a couple of furlongs out.

She couldn't get past the winner, who slightly hampered her inside the final furlong, but she stuck to her task well and it's worth noting that the front three pulled four length clear of the fourth. This wasn't the first time that she's shaped well this season and she remains a staying handicapper to be positive about.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Friday

STRESSFREE

Third, 1¼m handicap, York, Friday 12 July

Stressfree ran well when runner-up at Doncaster last week and he shaped even better when a close-up third at York on Friday, leaving the impression that he's ready to register a first success of the season.

Stressfree travelled smoothly in rear and was still going well when short of room over two furlongs out. He had to weave his way through but kept on well and was only beaten half a length and a neck by a couple of rivals who had been ridden more prominently.

It's notable that Stressfree pulled five lengths clear of the third and he looks up to defying a similar mark with better luck in running.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Thursday

GIAVELLOTTO

Winner, Princess of Wales’s Stakes, Newmarket (July Course), Thursday 11 July

This column tends to focus on beaten horses, but the winning performance of Giavellotto in Thursday’s Princess of Wales’s Stakes at Newmarket really caught the eye.

A two-time winner of the Yorkshire Cup over a mile and three quarters, Giavellotto wasn’t overly strong in the betting ahead of Thursday’s contest but the improving five-year-old allayed his jockey’s concerns about his winner’s penalty with a comprehensive success despite dropping in trip.

Giavellotto was held up early on but moved smoothly into contention half a mile from home and it was clear from some way out that he was the only danger to the front-runner Arrest. The latter had no answer when Murphy asked his mount for an effort, the pair quickening clear in style for a comfortable three and a quarter length success.

He is worth another try at Group 1 level, the Irish St Leger reportedly the aim, though even a tilt at the Arc (would need supplementing) might be worth considering. Wherever Giavellotto goes, he will surely continue to give a good account.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Wednesday

DAAMBERDIPLOMAT

Fifth, 7f handicap, Fairyhouse, Wednesday 10 July

Daamberdiplomat continued his good form of late 2023/early 2024 with an eye-catching run in defeat at Fairyhouse on Wednesday, leaving the impression he would have gone very close with a clear run after three months off.

Having raced with zest throughout, Daamberdiplomat was unable to fully open up late on due to traffic problems with jockey Ben Coen left with no choice but to sit and suffer.

Having shown that travelling is no issue (good 1¼ lengths fourth to Bosh at Lingfield in March) connections of Daamberdiplomat have plenty of options, though having won in fields of 13 and 19 in the past, one of the big-field valuable handicaps at the Curragh could be on the agenda later in the season.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Tuesday

BATEMAN

Third, 1m handicap, Pontefract, Tuesday 9 July

A steadily-run handicap, but one that should work out, won by a thriving older horse who edged out a couple of three-year-olds that should have more to give, notably the Gemma Tutty-trained Bateman.

Bateman has only had four career starts but is already on his third yard, and he still looked a work in progress making his handicap debut, held up in rear early on and making good headway from halfway.

He made up good ground out wide in the straight, having every chance in the final furlong but only able to stay on at the same pace after the ground he'd made up. Bateman has the potential to progress further and he will be interesting if taking up his engagement at Carlisle on Thursday.

Timeform Eyecatcher: Monday

PORFIN

Runner-up, 7f handicap, Wolverhampton, Monday 8 July

This was just a modest handicap, but it was run at a fierce pace, and was won by a well-backed three-year-old, but Porfin again shaped well in second.

He found just one rival too strong for his second start in a row, remaining in top form, and he'd have likely gone even closer had his jockey chosen a different path over two furlongs out.

The was no real need to make the move out wide that she did at the time given the gallop they'd gone and, given the stable he represents, it presumably won't be too long before he's given a chance to make amends.

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