Well bred, well handicapped and well worth putting in your tracker

Aesop
Pedigree b c Make Believe-Sadima (Sadler's Wells)
Trained by Jessica Harrington

This colt is bred in the purple, as a Make Believe half-brother to Group 1 winners Creachadoir and Youmzain, and he got his racing career off to a fair enough start when sent off favourite and running fifth behind Wichita on debut at the Curragh.

Aesop didn't go on from that, though, running down the field in competitive maidens on his next two starts. He was never travelling at Dundalk and then cut out the early pace and folded tamely on soft ground at Leopardstown.

Handicappers haven't been overly generous in allotting him a mark of 75, considering he's not yet threatened to make the podium, but if his handler Jessica Harrington can find the key to him – maybe better ground and/or a step up in trip – he could have some nice races in him.

Official Rating 75

Fox Duty Free
b c Kingman-Bugie D'Amore (Rail Link)
Andrew Balding

Fox Duty Free has a strong pedigree, being by Kingman out of Group 3 winner Bugie D'Amore and thus a half-brother to smart handicapper George Of Hearts, and he must have the looks to match as he cost his owners King Power Racing the not inconsiderable sum of 280,000gns.

He has made three starts for Andrew Balding and although he hasn't won he hasn't got away with a basement opening handicap mark either. But then he did run a close third to subsequently 89-rated Owney Madden at Newbury on debut and was a neck second to Al Rufaa at York on his third start.

Fox Duty Free could make into a classy handicapper in the short term, and may be even better than that in future.

OR 79

Jan Wellens
ch g Dutch Art-Upstanding (Pivotal)
Ger Lyons

Connections get to start off Jan Wellens' three-year-old season from a basement opening mark of 59 after he cut no ice in three starts at two for Ger Lyons last season – twice behind the aforementioned Aesop in decent contests.

Ger Lyons: has the well-bred Jan Wellens on a workable markCredit: Patrick McCann

Despite him being beaten an aggregate of more than 52 lengths so far, there are glimmers of hope to be gleaned from the in-running comments – noted making modest late headway on two of his starts.

There is reason to expect better from this 70,000gns yearling on paper, as he is by Dutch Art out of a sister to Lockinge winner Virtual and Coventry Stakes scorer Iceman.

OR 59

Juan Les Pins
b g Invincible Spirit-Miss Cap Ferrat (Darshaan)
Ed Walker

The Ed Walker-trained gelding looks an obvious candidate to improve for having turned three and being sent up in trip.

He looked very much an unfinished product when seventh in a competitive Newbury novice stakes over seven furlongs on debut in September and running third and second in similar contests over six and seven furlongs at Kempton – the last time finding himself sandwiched between brilliantly bred Dubawi colts owned by the Maktoum family.

A half-brother to Cap Francais and Miss Cap Estel, who earned peak RPRs of 106 and 103 over ten furlongs, he should be able to make hay with an opening mark much lower than that for his three-year-old season.

OR 76

Mars Landing
b g Dark Angel-Psychometry (Danehill Dancer)
Sir Michael Stoute

The Niarchos family's homebred was gelded in the autumn, and on the evidence of his efforts before the operation it is fair to say it was badly needed.

He was a deep shade of green on debut at Sandown behind the exciting Palace Pier – slowly away, racing wide and more interested in what was going on in the stands – but showed a more professional attitude when runner-up to Palace Pier in a novice stakes back at the track. However, he relapsed a little next time out at Kempton, misbehaving in the stalls, fluffing the start and running no sort of race.

Mars Landing is a Dark Angel half-brother to last year's classy staying handicapper Themaxwecan from a top Niarchos family, so hopefully that gelding operation – paired with Sir Michael Stoute's prowess at bringing along young talent – can help him realise his genetic potential.

OR 77

Spinacia
b f Charm Spirit-Spinola (Spinning World)
Eve Johnson Houghton

Five siblings to the 72-rated Spinacia have made it onto the Racing Post database; all have won and their RPRs range from 95 to 109. So Eve Johnson Houghton's filly could still have significant improvement in her.

The daughter of Charm Spirit and Cherry Hinton Stakes winner Spinola ran three times last year, all at Kempton, and showed considerable promise – a keeping-on fourth over six furlongs on debut followed by a write-off when stumbling at the start, and then a close fifth over seven furlongs.

In possession of a fine pedigree, Spinacia will make an excellent breeding prospect and connections will no doubt be desperate to get a win into the filly to seal the deal. There might even be the hope of some black type in time.

OR 72

Star Of Wells
b g Sea The Stars-Seas Of Wells (Dansili)
Tom Ward

Bred and originally owned by the Tsui family, and a son of their superstar Sea The Stars, Star Of Wells presumably must have shown plenty of promise for William Haggas at home last summer as he was sent off a hot favourite on debut at Sandown – finishing fifth behind future Vertem Futurity winner Kameko – and again on his next start, when a distant fourth behind the fairly talented Dubai Souq at Wolverhampton.

Tom Ward: bought Star Of Wells out of William Haggas's yard for 60,000gns

On his third start at Kempton after a break he kept on into a never dangerous second behind the exciting Higher Kingdom, flashing his tail under pressure, and his recalcitrance earned him a sale to Tom Ward for 60,000gns and a gelding operation.

Perhaps the change of scenery and a more focused mind might help him recapture for his young trainer what he must have once shown for Haggas on the gallops.

OR 74

Sure I'm Your Man
b g Sea The Moon-All Hallows (Dalakhani)
Roger Charlton

This gelding showed little in his three starts over a mile last autumn, but that is hardly surprising looking at his stamina-packed pedigree.

He is by German Derby winner Sea The Moon out of All Hallows, an unraced daughter of Arc hero Dalakhani and Doncaster Cup scorer Alleluia. The dam, a half-sister to star stayer Allegretto, has also produced useful middle-distance handicapper Temple Church.

Sure I'm Your Man may turn out to be no world-beater, but he should be able to take advantage of his lowly mark when stepped up in trip by his trainer Roger Charlton.

OR 65

Tommy Rock
gr c Society Rock-Chiara Wells (Refuse To Bend)
Clive Cox

Connections should be able to exploit an introductory mark of just 68 for this colt by dependable speed source Society Rock out of Listed-winning sprinter Chiara Wells, who cost an eye-catching €100,000 as a yearling.

The form he compiled in three runs last year incorporates several clues that he might have some talent in him. He wasn't far behind the now 90-rated Brad The Brief when third on debut at Bath and was fourth, albeit well beaten, to the promise-filled Premier Power and Tom Collins last time out at Kempton.

His half-sister Samskara, trained in France, improved on her three unplaced runs at two to win twice last year at three, earning a best RPR of 85.

OR 68

Win O'Clock
ch c Australia-Gee Kel (Danehill Dancer)
Roger Charlton

Three promising runs in mile maiden and novice races over the winter – the last two times behind well-bred Maktoum-owned colts Al Maysan and King Of Arms – have resulted in a workable handicap mark of 75 for Kingwood Stud's homebred.

His pedigree represents a blend of speed and stamina, being by the stoutly bred dual Derby hero Australia out of the pacey and precocious Danehill Dancer mare Gee Kel. His five siblings, all winners, have put up their best RPRs over distances ranging from five to 12 and a half furlongs.

With Australia transmitting abundant stamina though – see St Leger runner-up Sir Ron Priestley, also out of a Danehill Dancer mare, for example – the expectation is that Win O'Clock should start to come into his own over at least ten furlongs.

OR 75