Champions Day: Five of the best

Long Distance Cup – Forgotten Rules 2014 (121)

The field for the 2014 Long Distance Cup was a representative one and featured the previous two winners of the Gold Cup, Leading Light and Estimate, making it all the more significant that Dermot Weld’s Forgotten Rules, who was only having his second start on the Flat, was sent off at just 3/1. Forgotten Rules was having his third start all-told, having also won a bumper earlier in 2014, and his immaturity was still evident in the Long Distance Cup when he was pressed for his effort, hanging badly right two furlongs out and cannoning into Leading Light, which in turn caused a knock-on effect to others. The scrimmaging barely checked Forgotten Rules’s own momentum, however, and he got on top decisively at the line. His performance rating of 121 was the best performance seen in the Long Distance Cup and, somewhat surprisingly, Forgotten Rules has yet to match or better that rating since.

Could it be bettered in 2017?

Order of St George was disappointing when beaten at odds of 4/6 in this race last year just 13 days on from his excellent third in the Arc, but he’ll have an extra week to recover from his French exploits this time around and, rated 128 on his impressive Irish St Leger win earlier this season, he is well capable of blowing Forgotten Rules’s rating out of the water later this month.

Champions Sprint – Muhaarar 2015 (134)

The 2015 renewal of the Champions Sprint was the first running of the race as a Group 1, and the 20-strong field headed by the outstanding three-year-old sprinter Muhaarar rewarded that upgrade instantly. Muhaarar was recording his fourth successive Group 1 victory in a row, following on from the Commonwealth Cup, the July Cup and the Prix Maurice de Gheest, but his final race was his best performance, tanking along before quickening to lead over a furlong out and keeping on well to beat Sprint Cup winner Twilight Son by two lengths. Muhaarar remains the highest-rated son of sire Oasis Dream, and was the best sprinter seen by Timeform for many a year, though his rating of 134 has been bettered just two years later by Battaash.

Could it be bettered?

Battaash doesn’t hold an entry in this year’s Champions Sprint, so Muhaarar’s performance is likely to remain the best seen in the race for now, though that isn’t guaranteed if Harry Angel (133) progresses again. With just seven starts under his belt so far, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he did have a bigger rating in his locker, either, especially given his four-length Sprint Cup win (which came on testing ground) last time was a huge career best.

Fillies’ and Mares’ – Journey 2016 (121)

Journey was second in the Fillies’ And Mares’ in 2015 behind St Leger winner Simple Verse but went one better in last year’s renewal, winning by four lengths from Speedy Boarding and posting a career-best effort. Journey didn’t sparkle on her first two starts this campaign, but she was back to form in the Prix Vermeille at Chantilly last time, and should put in a bold bid to landing a Fillies’ And Mares’ double.

Could it be bettered?

The mare in front of Journey in the Prix Vermeille was Bateel, who has done nothing but progress since joining Francis-Henri Graffard, winning three of her four starts for the yard. The way she is going she could have an even bigger effort in her locker, and could well better Journey’s effort in this race last year.

QE II – Frankel 2011 (143)

Frankel has put up two outstanding performances on this card in recent years (also won the Champion Stakes), but the better of his two runs on ratings came in this race in 2011, which was the best performance of his sparkling three-year-old campaign. Excellebration showed top-class form in a clear second but was made to look ordinary in the wake of Frankel, who was looking much more the finished article by this point in his career, settling well enough early off a steady early pace and quickening on request to run down his pace maker Bullet Train and then gradually draw away from the field. The overall time of the race was underwhelming, but sectionals revealed that Frankel was the fastest horse in the race over three separate furlongs, including the final one, showing his prospective stamina and not only his exceptional speed.

Could it be bettered?

In a word, no. Ribchester was second to Minding in this race last season and has improved again this term, running to 131 when winning the Lockinge, and he is clear on Timeform ratings going into the race, though Beat The Bank is only rated 4 lb lower at this stage and is very much an up-and-coming miler, producing a big career-best on just his sixth start when winning last month’s Joel Stakes.

Champion Stakes – Cirrus des Aigles 2011 (133)

Cirrus des Aigles chased Frankel home in the 2012 Champion Stakes and actually ran to a higher rating than when he won the race in 2011, but he still deserves his own spot in this piece – especially as Frankel already has one. It almost seems a little strange given some of the recent performances (Frankel, Farhh and Almanzor have all run to 130+ when winning some of the more recent renewals) but the Champion Stakes had very much fallen down the Group 1 pecking order during its time at Newmarket, and the 2011 renewal – the first at Ascot – produced a sharp upturn in quality. Somewhat surprisingly this was a first Group 1 win for Cirrus des Aigles, who had suffered narrow defeats at the hands of Goldikova and Sarafina at the highest level earlier in the season, but he’d won a pair of group races at Deauville by a combined 18 lengths after that, and his Group 1 victory was very much deserved. So You Think – who himself had won three times at the highest level already that season – ran right up to his best in second, while further solidity to the form was provided by Arc third Snow Fairy (third again here), with King George winner Nathaniel back in fifth.

Could it be bettered?

Ulysses has run to 130 on his last two starts (winning the Juddemonte and finishing third in the Arc), and given that he tops the ratings in the current entries for this year’s race and is seemingly likely to end his racing career at the Breeders’ Cup instead, we probably won’t see a better performance this year. That said, Cracksman (127p) may well do better yet and could feasibly provide another 130+ performance if taking up his entry.