Horses To Follow: Timeform Eyecatcher
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This looked a useful maiden on paper with some nice pedigrees on show and the winner, King of Conquest, looked potentially smart as he stretched clear in the closing stages having been pushed along soon after entering the straight.
The Richard Hannon-trained Hapap shaped like a sure-fire future winner in finishing fifth, though, and is very much the horse to take out of the race. It wasn't run at a strong gallop and that told in the early stages for Hapap, who broke well on his debut but was very keen in the early stages. He did settle after a couple of furlongs, but he clearly expended too much energy, which makes his finishing effort all the more worthy.
Hapap was travelling well in behind the leaders - still on the bridle as the eventual winner was being pushed along - but he looked all at sea when asked to quicken, caught a little flat-footed as the leaders stole a march. The penny dropped for Hapap inside the final furlong and he showed a nice change of gear to finish never nearer than at the finish. Hannon's juveniles tend to come on for their first run and he should have no problem picking up something similar in the coming weeks.
The leaders went off far too fast in the Melrose and the first five at the line probably all benefited from being held up off the pace. King of The Castle emerged as the best of the rest in sixth, five and a half lengths behind the winner Valley Forge, and he is one who definitely deserves to have his effort marked up given how much energy he expended at a crucial stage of the race.
King of The Castle raced last of all in the early stages after taking a while to find his stride. In hindsight, that was probably the best place for him to be, but his rider William Buick decided after a couple of furlongs to make a big forward move on the far outside, passing most of the field to the extent that King of The Castle was racing in a share of third by the time the field entered the straight.
King of The Castle was still bang there in the firing line with over two furlongs to run, but his effort understandably flattened out from there, gradually being left behind by five rivals who had been given the opportunity to save a bit more petrol for the finish.
A brother to the Derby winner Serpentine, King of The Castle was making just his second start in a handicap and his first over a mile and three quarters, a trip he should have no problem staying under a more efficient ride. Indeed, he did well under the circumstances to finish so close here and will be well worth another chance to prove himself on a good mark.
Timeform eyecatcher: Friday
Emblem Empire
Second, 1m novice, Kempton, Friday 20 August
There was a real mixed bag of runners in division one of Kempton’s novice contest which went to Godolphin’s Mo’assess who followed up his course-and-distance win in a similar event earlier in the month. Juddmonte newcomer Old Flame was all the rage in the betting but could finish only fourth and it was Emblem Empire, for John & Thady Gosden, who fared best of those making their debuts, finishing two and three quarter lengths behind the all-the-way winner in second.
He very much caught the eye, travelling well towards the rear after missing the break and still having plenty to do early in the straight before making good headway up the inner and finishing off nicely in the final furlong without being subjected to anything like maximum pressure.
By 2000 Guineas winner Gleneagles, Emblem Empire, who was tongue tied for his debut, is a half-brother to a couple of winners, including Brother Bear who was useful at up to seven furlongs. Clearly in need of the experience, he’s sure to improve and should be well up to going one better in a similar event.
The Clipper Logistics Handicap wasn't run at the sort of gallop you might expect for such a competitive event and the big-priced winner, Cruyff Turn, made most of the running, while the placed pair, Magical Memory and Astro King, were never far away.
A prominent position seemed like an advantage so fifth-placed Escobar deserves plenty of credit having been held up in the early stages. Escobar had only a couple behind him as they turned for home, but he made good headway between rivals in the straight, finishing fastest of all to get within two lengths of the winner.
Escobar is on a long losing run that stretches back to October 2019, when he won the Balmoral Handicap at Ascot on Champions Day. However, he has dropped to 2 lb below that winning mark - which he defied with ease - and his recent efforts suggest that he remains as good as ever at the age of seven and could be up to winning a decent prize when everything falls right.
Tim Easterby ran two in this contest, with Cassy O faring the better of the stable’s pair in second, but it was the yard’s other runner Jewel Maker who caught the eye on his first start after a break since May. With 5 lb claimer Ella McCain replacing Jewel Maker’s regular partner Duran Fentiman (aboard Cassy O on this occasion), the six-year-old was caught further back than ideal in a steadily-run affair and was looked after once his chance had gone, making progress over a furlong out and keeping on to be nearest at the finish in fourth as Arranmore held on in front to make all the running.
Jewel Maker is already below his last winning mark, with his most recent victory coming on the Fibresand at Southwell in February. While he won’t get any more opportunities on that particular surface, it’s worth noting he was twice successful on the Tapeta at Newcastle late last year too. He looks one to be interested in next time with that run under his belt.
Sound of Iona is on a long losing run of 13 that stretches back to September of last year but she has eased in the weights and has been shaping well of late, suggesting that an overdue success is just around the corner. Sound of Iona didn't get much luck in running when a close-up fourth at Musselburgh last month and it was a similar story at Hamilton on Tuesday when she had to settle for third.
Sound of Iona travelled well towards the rear and made some headway a couple of furlongs out, but she was unable to secure a clear passage. She was never able to fully open up, but kept on steadily in the closing stages, finishing within two lengths of the winner and looking unlucky not to finish closer. She is evidently in decent heart at the moment and will be of interest if turned out quickly and asked to take up her engagement at Musselburgh on Friday.
This handicap was run at a sound gallop and, in truth, the winner was always in command despite only prevailing by a neck, just some late idling allowing the runner-up to get as close as he did. The horse to take out of the race, though, is the third, Lady Amalthea, who very much caught the eye in the closing stages.
Back under a fully-fledged rider, she belatedly proved herself just as effective on turf after all, doing particularly well to finish as close as she did under the circumstances. Hollie Doyle had no option but to drop her out from a wide draw at the start, and as a result of how the race panned out, Lady Amalthea still had plenty to do a furlong out. She finished with a real flourish from there, though, and she is one to be interested in from this lowly mark. Trainer Jane Chapple-Hyam is in good form at present and it will be interesting to see where Lady Amalthea turns up next, well up to winning races on this evidence, particularly if switched to a more galloping track.
Timeform Eyecatchers of the Week
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