Jabaara heads the ante-post betting for the Albany Stakes
Horses To Follow: Three improvers with the Timeform Large P
By Timeform
12:07 · THU June 08, 2023
The Timeform Large P is used to identify horses who are capable of much better form. Here are four exciting prospects who were awarded the Large P on their latest start.
Gregory is from an excellent Normandie Stud family – he is a half-brother to smart stayer Lionel while his dam is a half-sister to Irish St Leger winner Duncan – and he looked potentially smart when justifying support on his debut over a mile and a half at Haydock in April, doing especially well to win in the style he did given he was held up in a falsely-run race and has a pedigree chock-full of stamina.
He confirmed that promise in no uncertain terms when following up in the Cocked Hat Stakes at Goodwood last time, coming in for sustained support near the off, and still looked like he was learning on the job, running green when asked for his effort around three furlongs out and really motoring once hitting top gear. He has scope for a lot better still, sure to stay further than a mile and a half, and the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot could be a potential target for him.
That race was won by Eldar Eldarov last year, who went on to win the St Leger at Doncaster later in the season, and Gregory is all over a Leger horse in the making. He has a touch of class for one who is bred to stay well and he is a horse to be very positive about wherever he turns up next.
Jabaara made a winning debut in a maiden with a rich recent history, with the last two winners, Cachet and Mawj, both going on to win the 1000 Guineas. The margin of Jabaara’s victory may not have been as far as either of those fillies, but the impression she created was certainly a striking one as she overcame the run of the race and trouble in-running under hands-and-heels riding.
She was backed into favouritism and travelled well in midfield, though she didn’t get the clearest run around two furlongs out, having to switch entering the final furlong where she unleashed a storming run down the outside. The change of gear she displayed under a hands-and-heels ride marks her out as being well above-average, having much more in hand at the line than the three-quarter length margin suggests.
Roger Varian won the same maiden in 2019 with Daahyeh, who went on to win the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot on her next start, a race in which Jabaara is currently ante-post favourite for. She is open to significant improvement and looks a bright prospect.
Spectacular Style is from a good family – out of a half-sister to 2000 Guineas and King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Golan and Derby and Irish Derby runner-up Tartan Bearer – and he made a fine start to his career when runner-up in a mile and a quarter novice at Redcar last month.
That looked a good race for the track and Spectacular Style split a couple of previous winners who had already shown plenty while leaving the impression he was in much need of the experience. He was awkward leaving the stalls and displayed signs of greenness when coming under pressure around two furlongs out, not knowing what to do initially but staying on with purpose once the penny began to drop, taking second place at the post under hands-and-heels riding.
Spectacular Style looks a sure-fire improver on the back of that effort and should have no problem going one place better in a similar event next time, while he also has the looks, physique and pedigree to make his mark at an even higher level.
Matnookh was a £85,000 purchase at the Breeze-Ups earlier this year and he made a most promising start to his career when finishing third at Windsor on Monday.
That race changed complexion when the odds-on favourite was withdrawn after being unruly in the stalls, but it was still a good field and appeals as form that will work out well, the winner taking a step forward from his debut to beat some well-bred newcomers.
Matnookh was fairly easy to back but looked one of the best long-term prospects, a slow start putting him on the backfoot and he was pushed along from halfway, wanting for know-how but taking off and making up plenty of ground after his rider gave him a reminder.
It is often hard to make up ground over sprint trips at Windsor and, given Matnookh is just the seventh progeny of Sea The Stars to run at six furlongs or less on debut as a juvenile, it is a performance that is worth marking up considerably. He will be seen to better once moving up to seven furlongs or further and appears to have plenty of ability.
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