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Timeform Daily View | Friday preview and tips
Andrew Asquith of Timeform provides an overview of the key things to note on the racing front on Friday.
Three points of interest
Kamanika interesting with ground in her favour
Kamanika was a four-time winner last year, and three of those victories came on ground that Timeform described as soft or heavy, so she looks very interesting now returned to testing conditions in the apprentices’ handicap over a mile and a quarter at Haydock (13:43).
She has only had two starts this year, leaving the impression she’d strip fitter for her return at Newmarket in August, and shaping much better than the bare result at Goodwood earlier this month.
Kamanika sat too close to a strong pace that day, and was also asked to make her challenge earlier than ideal, too, tiring in the closing stages but leaving the impression she is back in top form.
She is lightly raced for the time of year and, just 1 lb higher than her last winning mark, this looks a good opening for her, while she also represents a yard who are amongst the winners.
Time Lock back to defend her crown
Time Lock is a smart filly who returns to Newmarket in an attempt to land back-to-back renewals of the Princess Royal Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Stakes (14:25).
She was an impressive winner 12 months ago, displaying a nice turn of foot to quickly settle matters, and she ran another cracker when runner-up against the boys in the Jockey Club Stakes over this course and distance on her return in May.
Time Lock was well held in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on her next start, but she had plenty on her plate that day and didn’t really handle the track.
She was far from disgraced in the Princess of Wales's Stakes on the July Course last time, just unable to quicken with Giavellotto and Arrest in the closing stages. The pick of her efforts makes her stand out in this field back against her own sex now – she is at least 4lb clear on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings – and this has likely been one of her main end-of-season targets.
Exciting Formal can take step up in class in her stride
Sir Michael Stoute announced that this would be his last season as a trainer a few weeks ago but it looks like he’s got a very good juvenile to end his career with in the shape of Formal who goes in the Rockfel Stakes (15:00).
She looked something out of the ordinary when making a winning debut at Newbury in July, making good headway on the bridle and still full of running entering the final furlong where she then displayed a smart turn of foot to go clear.
Formal confirmed that impression when following up under a penalty at Leicester last time, comfortably making all of the running and having more in hand than the official margin suggests.
She will likely be seen to even better effect now taking on better opposition and she remains a fine prospect who looks more than ready for this step up in class – she has the ‘Timeform Large P’ attached to her rating.
Tip of the Day
Epic Poet – 16:45 Newmarket
Flags: Hot Trainer, Sectional, Top Rated
Epic Poet was a smart performer in France, notably winning in listed company, and he deservedly opened his account for current connections in the Old Borough Cup at Haydock earlier this month.
He landed the big pot he’d been threatening to do for much of the season, proving that a mile and three quarters is no problem for him, producing a career-best effort to narrowly prevail from an unexposed rival with the pair pulling clear of the remainder.
That performance suggests he is better than a handicapper and this step back up into listed company looks a good move. The return to a mile and a half will be no problem for him and he looks the one to beat at the weights.
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