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Timeform Eyecatchers of the Week
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There were only five runners in this novice and Just Wonder, who was strong in the market, proved a disappointment, but it still looks a race that will prove solid form in time. A quick look at the result will show that Just Wonder finished last of five, but that doesn't tell the whole story, and it would be folly to write him off at this early stage of his career.
He is bred to be smart - he is the second foal out of a half-sister to top-class George Washington - and his strength in the market throughout the day suggested that a much better showing was anticipated. Just Wonder raced a little too freely in the early stages of the race and Tom Marquand struggled to make him settle for much of the race, still going with plenty of exuberance around two furlongs out. Therefore, it may be worth forgiving his rather lacklustre finishing effort, given the energy he had expended, while he still looked in need of the experience when coming off the bridle. Just Wonder showed lots of enthusiasm so he should be comfortable dropping back to six furlongs if needs be but, all in all, he looks a colt who has plenty of ability and will be well up to winning a similar event when putting it all together.
Timeform Eyecatcher: Saturday
Mashaaer
Second, 1m novice, Ascot, Saturday 4 September
Richard Hannon often introduces some of his better youngsters at Ascot and the Shadwell filly Mashaaer made a promising debut to split two more-experienced rivals from top yards in this contest over the round mile. Mashaaer’s inexperience was evident when she broke slowly from the stalls but, from being in the rear early on, she had closed to be fifth early in the straight. The pace-setting Godolphin filly Beautiful Secret and the John & Thady Gosden-trained favourite Bouquet, another who raced prominently, were clear entering the final furlong but Mashaaer was making good headway by then which she sustained all the way to the line to finish a length and a half adrift of the favourite who holds a Fillies’ Mile entry.
Although by top-class sprinter Muhaarar and a half-sister to a two-year-old five-furlong winner, Mashaaer is clearly no sprinter herself as she saw the mile out well on her debut. She’s sure to improve and should be capable of going one better before long.
Alrehb has an eyecatching pedigree - he is a half-brother to the top-class Muhaarar - but he has presumably had his issues to be making his debut as a four-year-old having already been gelded. He clearly has plenty of ability, however, based on his runner-up effort at Newcastle, where he pulled clear with another potentially useful sort who had the benefit of previous experience.
Alrehb made smooth progress over three furlongs out and edged ahead briefly inside the final furlong, but was unable to repel the challenge of Bashkirova, who had won on debut at Nottingham last month. The way the front pair pulled at least two and a half lengths clear of the remainder was encouraging and Alrehb should have little trouble winning a similar event, while his pedigree suggests he could reach at least a useful level if things go smoothly.
King Capella was the sole newcomer in a field of four for this maiden and it was seemingly only his lack of experience which prevented him from making a winning debut for Sir Michael Stoute. Despite the small turnout it was a competitive contest, with the other three runners all having been placed more often than not and it went to the Michael Bell-trained Tall Order who had been runner-up on his last two starts.
King Capella shaped promisingly after a slow start and led briefly over a furlong out before hanging left and finding no extra only late on in going down by half a length. By Kingman, King Capella is out of Crystal Capella, a very smart mare for the same connections at a mile and a half and a half-sister to the top-class Crystal Ocean. From a family his trainer knows inside out and that gets better with age, King Capella is sure to progress and win races.
Chipstead might not have quite as much ability as his elder brother Oxted but he’s beginning to get his act together for Roger Teal and has now won his last two starts at Bath. The combination of a drop to five furlongs and a well-run race looked to suit him when he got off the mark there last month and, despite a 6 lb rise in the weights, he still looked ahead of his mark when following up over the same course and distance, having less to spare this time but still decisively on top come the line.
With one of his rivals Blue Moonrise completely blowing the start after becoming fractious in the stalls, Chipstead was effectively left with just two opponents to beat and, having raced close up, he edged ahead in the final furlong to win by three quarters of a length and a neck from Jojo Rabbit and Equality. Chipstead is hardly able to go up much more in the weights after his latest success and is likely to make a bold bid for the hat-trick next time.
Gnat Alley had shaped as though five furlongs was on the sharp side for her in her earlier starts but she was well backed kept to the minimum trip for her nursery debut and shaped encouragingly. She was soon detached after rearing leaving the stalls but began to make some progress around halfway and stayed on after having to pick her way through entering the final furlong to claim fourth, beaten only around a length and a half behind the winner Mereside Angel.
Gnat Alley would surely have been closer still with anything resembling a clean start and is well worth looking out for in similar company next time off her current mark in the low 60s. By Caravaggio out of a half-sister to very smart sprinter Glen Shiel, there’s no shortage of speed in her pedigree but a step up to six furlongs is likely to suit.
Kettle Hill finished with a flourish to get within a head of Garden Oasis at York and he was only beaten on the nod by the same horse at Ripon on Monday, pulling clear of the remainder in the style of a well-handicapped performer worth keeping on the right side.
Kettle Hill was again strong in the finish at Ripon and very much left the impression that there's more to come when he steps up in trip to beyond a mile. He will go up in the weights for this narrow defeat but he is lightly raced, well bred and in excellent hands with William Haggas, so it would be little surprise if he continues to progress and remains a step ahead of the assessor.
Timeform Eyecatchers of the Week
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