Find out who the Timeform experts fancy at York on Friday and which horses stand out on ratings and Flags.
Course form isn’t a requirement for a potential Gimcrack winner, but prior experience and knowledge of the track doesn’t do any harm and The Strikin Viking makes plenty of appeal now back at the track where he made such a striking debut in May.
That win, over next-time-out winner Tiger Mask, was achieved in a rattlingly good 97 timefigure which is historically very high for a two-year-old newcomer, but he left even that figure well behind when just turned over by Henri Matisse in the Railway Stakes at the Curragh where he was last off the bridle.
Things never quite went his way when an unlucky second in the Richmond at Goodwood last time but granted a fairer crack at the whip here, he should prove too strong and is a confident selection.
Bradsell is something of a forgotten horse in the sprinting ranks, but he’ got little to find with the best of these and he looks well drawn to go a couple of places better than he managed in this last year.
He raced in the disadvantaged group twelve months ago but looks likely to be ideally berthed this time around in stall 3 with trailblazers like Ponntos and Live In The Dream drawn closely either side of him.
He’s presumably had his training issues, this just his second start of the season, but he was a comfortable winner of a listed race at Deauville that he was entitled to win a couple of weeks ago and that will hopefully put him spot on now.
A big, competitive field for this fillies’ handicap though there seems to be a distinct lack of confirmed front-runners and, with those ridden prominently tending to be favoured on the round course this week the one who makes most appeal is Al Anoud.
She’s slightly worse off at the weights with the reopposing Power of Destiny and that rival probably did shape best at Goodwood, though the way this could unfold should favour the former again. An uncomplicated sort from a good family, with a good attitude to boot, she looks the play.
This daughter of Sea The Stars was off the mark at the second time of asking when taking a maiden at Haydock in June, and that’s a race that’s worked out really well. She’s finished runner-up on both starts since then, with her latest outing the most eye-catching of that pair.
Power Of Destiny still looked a work in progress there, as you’d expect for one making just her fourth start, and didn’t find things panning out ideally, either.
Not getting the best of runs through, she was sticking on well late in the day and I suspect she’s a well-handicapped filly from a mark of 88. Her trainer is a past master with fillies and this could well have been the target for a while.
Native Warrior had some strong form as a juvenile, and shaped well on his reappearance when three and a quarter lengths fourth to subsequent 2000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner Notable Speech, albeit in receipt of 7lb.
He didn't need to be at his best when completing a simple task to open his account at Nottingham next time, but he proved himself on a good mark when a very good third a typically competitive renewal of the Britannia at Royal Ascot. He 'won' the race on his side, with the two who finished in front of him in the far-side group and already clear once he began to hit full stride.
That's solid form and Native Warrior again wasn't disgraced in another strong handicap when runner-up at Glorious Goodwood last time, produced to lead entering the final furlong but overhauled in the final 100 yards by one coming from further back in a race which produced a very good timefigure. That was over nine furlongs and, while you can't say he didn't say, I'd expect him to relish this return to a mile. He is just 1 lb higher and it surely won't be long before he's winning races from this sort of mark.
The Strikin Viking is from a good family and he created a fine impression when making a winning debut over this course and distance in June for Kevin Ryan.
He beat a next-time-out winner convincingly that day and he showed much improved form when finishing runner-up in the Railway Stakes at the Curragh, beaten only half a length by the promising Henri Matisse.
The Strikin Viking was strong in the market on the back of that performance on his first start for new connections in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood last time, but he found the reopposing Big Mojo too strong on that occasion.
He was mugged late in the day by Big Mojo having fended off the challenge of the others who raced up with the strong pace and, under a more economic ride, he’s entitled to reverse that form now back at a track where he was so impressive on his debut.
Flags: Horse In Focus, Top Rated
Australian-raider Asfoora has been trained with a British campaign in mind and she duly delivered for her connections when proving a length too strong for Regional in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot.
She proved at least as good as ever to record her first top-level success that day, making an eye-catching move from the smaller near-side group and displaying a smart turn of foot to lead inside the final furlong.
Asfoora had a penalty to carry when a short-head second to Big Evs in the King George Stakes at Goodwood last time, and she only just failed to reel in the free-wheeling winner after suffering slight interference.
She is now 6 lb better off at the weights with Big Evs and is fancied to come out on top returned to Group 1 company under ideal conditions.
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