Tony McFadden highlights three horses that featured among Timeform’s Fifty To Follow for the Flat season that are entered on Saturday.
Cocked Hat Stakes, 14:05 Goodwood
Amiloc won both starts as a two-year-old at Kempton, notably defying a penalty to beat subsequent Zetland Stakes runner-up Green Storm on his second outing.
The way Amiloc powered home to overhaul Green Storm and win by a length and three-quarters with the pair well clear of the remainder suggested he’d appreciate stepping up to beyond a mile. His stout pedigree also indicated that he’d thrive when presented with a stiffer test of stamina, so Amiloc earned his inclusion among Timeform’s Fifty To Follow primarily as a middle-distance prospect.
It was, therefore, pleasing to see Amiloc prove speedy enough to make a winning return when kept to a mile in a conditions race at Goodwood this month. He had to be shaken up three furlongs out but, as at Kempton, found plenty and proved notably strong in the closing stages to draw three and a quarter lengths clear.
That he could achieve a Timeform rating of 109p – a level bordering on smart form – at a mile really highlights his potential and he might get the chance to show what he can do over a longer trip in the Cocked Hat Stakes over a distance in excess of 11 furlongs. Dante winner Pride of Arras is not the only exciting three-year-old trained by Ralph Beckett and carrying the Aykroyd silks.
Hedge of Oak Stakes, 14:25 Haydock
It has been a remarkably dry and warm spring, but there’s a bit of rain in the forecast and if underfoot conditions ease at Haydock on Saturday that would be in the favour of Estrange.
She didn’t make it to the racecourse until August of her three-year-old campaign but she created a huge impression on easy ground at Goodwood where she cruised five and a half lengths clear of her rivals in the style of a smart prospect.
She lacked a change of gear in better company and on much quicker ground when finishing in mid-division in the listed John Musker Fillies’ Stakes at Yarmouth but proved up to that level when bouncing right back on heavy going in the Gillies’ Fillies Stakes at Doncaster.
Estrange still looked a bit inexperienced on only her third start, needing to be shaken up over three furlongs out, but she powered home and was well on top by the line, scoring by a length and three-quarters.
How she fares this weekend may depend on how much rain hits Haydock, especially as she’d probably be better suited by a more galloping track, but she’s a talented and unexposed middle-distance filly to be positive about.
Cathedral Stakes, 18:50 Salisbury
Jarraaf features among Timeform’s Fifty To Follow for the second season in a row and looks up to making his mark in Group races this time around.
Jarraaf, a winner on his only start as a two-year-old, was beaten on his first couple of outings over seven furlongs last season, but the decision to revert to sprinting proved the catalyst for significant improvement. He was a ready winner of a six-furlong handicap at Ascot in July and followed up over the same course and distance at the Shergar Cup meeting the following month, again impressing with his strength in the finish to win going away.
He was unable to complete a course-and-distance hat-trick when upped in grade for his final start of the season in the Group 3 Bengough Stakes, but he matched his previous form to finish runner-up behind a smart and much more experienced sprinter in Apollo One.
There should be more to come from Jarraaf after only six starts – he retains the Timeform ‘small p’ for likely improver – and the listed Cathedral Stakes at Salisbury looks like a suitable launchpad for his campaign.
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