Timeform Eyecatchers of the Week
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This staying handicap looks solid form for the grade despite the lack of a true gallop. The winner RAMBLING ROSE was making just her second start in handicap company and she showed improved form to get off the mark, ultimately running out an effortless winner.
Held up in the early stages, Rambling Rose travelled strongly and began to make steady headway from halfway. She was produced to lead before the second last and quickly asserted from there, not needing to come off the bridle to win by six and a half lengths with plenty in hand.
Rambling Rose is likely to face a stiff rise in the weights, such was the manner of this success, but she is still unexposed as a stayer and will make plenty of appeal once again next time.
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The MansionBet Beaten By A Head Maiden Stakes threw together an interesting field and looks form to follow with next year in mind.
Al Mubhir was a taking winner on debut for William Haggas, the son of Frankel producing a sustained run from the rear of the field to get on top close home.
He beat a well-touted Gosden newcomer Filistine who is a winner-waiting-to-happen in second and the eyecatching FIRST OFFICER.
A Galileo half-brother to a couple of useful stayers, he was anchored in the rear of the field by Ryan Moore, tracking the winner for much of the race. He got a little lost in the Dip and then spooked by a wandering rival before staying on very nicely upon meeting the rising ground.
He too looks a sure-fire winner, whether this autumn or in the spring, and is an interesting middle-distance prospect for 2022.
This handicap revolved around Sunray Major, who is a half-brother to top-class Kingman, and was heavily backed for his handicap debut.
He duly ran out an impressive winner, one who was well ahead of his opening mark, and looks destined for bigger and better things.
The runner-up, Ibiza Rocks, looks a horse to follow now, however, following his big return to form here.
He beat some now-useful performers in a minor event at Newbury last year and his best effort this season came when runner-up to subsequent listed winner Silent Escape at Sandown in August.
Ibiza Rocks wasn't at his best in a three-runner event at Leicester last month, where he started an odds-on favourite, but produced a career-best effort here and probably wasn't best suited by making his challenge from much further back and away from the eventual winner.
He seemingly goes well with cut in the ground, too, and is just the type who could pick up a couple of handicaps at the back end of this season.
Timeform Eyecatcher: Thursday
Witch Hunter
Third, 6f conditions stakes, Salisbury, Thursday 30 September
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Witch Hunter is clearly held in high regard as he was well-backed when runner-up at Newbury on debut and then asked to contest a good quality conditions stakes at Salisbury when a maiden or novice would have been a formality.
Witch Hunter travelled well towards the rear at Salisbury and was making good headway until he found himself short of room a furlong out. He finished powerfully between rivals when getting a gap, but ran out of time and had to settle for a close-up third in a race won narrowly by favourite Ribhi. Witch Hunter would have won with a clear run and is a useful prospect who is capable of raising his game even further when tackling seven furlongs. It won't be long before he gets off the mark.
Timeform Eyecatcher: Wednesday
Romantic Symbol
Fourth, 1m fillies' maiden, Nottingham, Wednesday 29 September
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Romantic Symbol, a daughter of Sea The Stars out of a half-sister to Racing Post Trophy winner Ibn Khaldun and from the family of Irish 1000 Guineas winner Gossamer, made plenty of appeal on pedigree ahead of her debut for Charlie Appleby at Nottingham. Appleby is operating at a respectable 18% strike rate with his two-year-old debutants this season but that increases to 33% with horses on their second outing.
Romantic Symbol strikes as one who will take a big step forward with this run under her belt as she showed obvious signs of inexperience, running wide at the first turn and then edging left when asked for her effort. She was unable to sustain her challenge inside the final furlong but will be fitter next time and should have no problem getting off the mark.
The standard-setting Capital Theory proved a big disappointment in this maiden, but the well-backed winner, Mr Alan, is still worth crediting with an improved effort, while the next three home all shaped with promise, too.
That group includes the newcomer Allegedly, who certainly offered plenty to work on in third. Settled in mid-division in the early stages, he was shaken up three furlongs out before being intimidated briefly as the weakening Capital Theory edged into his path. Allegedly wasn’t given a hard time by Paul Hanagan after that, but he still ran on well to take third in the final furlong, ultimately passing the post three lengths behind the winner.
Allegedly is bred for longer trips (by Wootton Bassett out of a 12-furlong winner in France) and his strength at the finish here underlines the view that he’ll be suited by further. He is very much the type to come into his own over middle-distances as a three-year-old but, in the meantime, he should learn enough from this experience to make an impact in a similar event before the end of the season.
Speycaster was tight enough in the betting for his debut on heavy ground at Sandown earlier this month but he looked badly in need of the experience and made no impression.
He was much easier to back here, but he left his debut form well behind, while promising that he has even more to offer. He is bred more for stamina than speed and he strongly left the impression he will be seen to much better effect when moving up to a mile and a quarter.
Speycaster broke well enough but was unable to go the gallop set by the odds-on favourite in the first half of the race, but he started to make headway approaching the straight and stayed on well under a moderate ride to be never nearer than at the finish.
He is worth marking up from the position he came from and is one to be interested in once moving up in trip, very much the type to progress in middle-distance handicaps as a three-year-old.
Timeform Eyecatchers of the Week
September 20-26 - Tenebrism a very exciting prospect
September 13-19 - Witch Hunter shapes well on debut
September 6-12 - Stone Age has more to offer
August 30- September 5 - Kettle Hill needs a step up in trip
August 23-29 - Alhezabr can gain compensation
August 16-22 - Jewel Maker back on a decent mark
August 9-15 - Shouldering one to keep on side
August 2-8 - Girl On Film could be one to watch
July 26-August 1 - Boundless Power looks capable of better still
July 19- 25 - Cliffs of Capri one to note for the Golden Mile
July 12- 18 - Riches And Rubies will improve for a longer trip
July 5- 11 - Hurricane Ivor remains a sprinter to be positive about
June 28-July 4 - Maglev one to note moving forward for William Haggas
June 21-27 - Clive Cox's juvenile Codify has more to offer in future
June 14-20 - Naval Crown is a horse to take forward from Royal Ascot
June 7-13 - Night Hunter caught the eye at Leicester
May 31-June 6 - To Be Wild was among the latest horses to take the eye
May 24-30 - Eyecatchers from Timeform including Bernardo O'Reilly
May 17-23 - Check out the week's eyecatchers from Timeform including Bezzas Lad
May 10-16 - Including a two-year-old to note from the Sunday meeting at Ripon
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