Find out who the Timeform experts fancy at Doncaster on Friday and which horses stand out on ratings and Flags.
Market leader Magnum Force was undoubtedly an eyecatcher in the listed Julia Graves Stakes at York, finding his way blocked before finishing strongly, but whether that form is quite as good as that shown so far by either Aesterius or Big Mojo, both of whom are pattern winners, I’m not at all sure. With Big Mojo already having got the better of Aesterius once, in the Molecomb at Goodwood, I’m taking him to confirm that form and get back to winning ways. Big Mojo has run once since then, finishing fourth in the Gimcrack when travelling strongly for a long way but ultimately not getting home, and the horse who finished one place in front of him that day, Symbol Of Strength, has already come out and won the Group 3 Sirenia Stakes. A return to a bare five furlongs looks the right move for Big Mojo, and it will take a much-improved performance from one of his rivals to beat him.
Cabrera is a well-bred and progressive filly who looks capable of advancing her Timeform rating again after shaping so promisingly on her handicap debut at Newmarket last month. She had to settle for second on that occasion, but in pulling 11 lengths clear of the third she showed that she's started off in handicaps from a lenient mark. She's gone up 4 lb for that effort but still appeals as being a well-handicapped filly, especially as she remains open to further progress.
The biggest eye-catcher of the Ebor Festival was probably Artagnan and he looks the one to beat in what looks a lesser race. Low draws were very much favoured throughout the week and he went down fighting from stall 16, shaping remarkably well in the circumstances. Karl Burke’s two-year-olds remain among the winners and Artagnan deserves to be favourite.
Cabrera was unable to reward good support on her handicap debut over a mile and three-quarters at Newmarket last month but she shaped like a well-treated filly and simply looked unlucky to bump into one even further ahead of her mark.
Cabrera couldn't fend off Irish raider Sixandahalf, but she didn't go down without a fight and stuck to her task well to pull 11 lengths clear of the third.
She still looks ahead of the handicapper despite going up 4 lb, and the way she moved through the race suggests she has enough speed to prove at least as effective back at a mile and a half (she won a novice over this course and distance on her previous start). Cabrera is 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings and looks the one to beat.
Flags: Horse In Focus, Trainer Form
Subsequent wasn't seen to best effect when only fifth at Goodwood on his penultimate start as the race failed to provide a sufficient test of stamina, but he bounced back to winning ways when upped in trip at Newmarket last month.
Subsequent again wasn't ideally positioned towards the rear in a race run at a steady gallop, but he relished the longer trip of a mile and three-quarters and came through to score a shade cosily by a length and a quarter.
He's a progressive three-year-old and remains competitively treated following a 4 lb rise in the weights, particularly as he is still unexposed as a stayer. The continued good form of Andrew Balding is also in his favour.
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