Ratings Update: Alpha will only get beta

Irish 2000 Guineas

Saturday’s Irish 2000 Guineas at the Curragh could hardly be described as a vintage renewal – the opening Irish Classic of the year was missing both the first three from Newmarket and first four from Longchamp – and it threw up a surprise result, 25/1-shot Romanised (up 18 lb to 122) swooping late to supply local trainer Ken Condon with a breakthrough winner at the top level.

There didn’t appear to be any fluke about Romanised’s much improved performance, though, as he was well on top at the finish, and there were no hard-luck stories among the other principals, despite some scrimmaging in the final furlong; he will be well worth his place in the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Runner-up U S Navy Flag (remains on 120) got better with racing last year and returned to something like the pick of his juvenile form under a typically aggressive ride, proving a mile is within range by repelling all bar one who came from well back. He is reportedly set to re-oppose Romanised at Ascot.

Of the remainder, Gustav Klimt (down 2 lb to 119) promised more than he delivered in third and is in danger of becoming disappointing, while Newmarket-fourth Elarqam (remains on 120p) was one of the first beaten on this occasion. He had been most progressive prior to that, however, and is well worth another chance.

Shock result in the @Tattersalls1766 Irish 2,000 Guineas – Romanised wins for Shane Foley and @kencondonracing! @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/btN082MY8L

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 26, 2018

Irish 1000 Guineas

Overall, the Classics so far in Britain and Ireland only illustrate that there's no star miler amongst the three-year-olds, colts or fillies, with a big surprise in the 1000 Guineas followed by a milder one in the Irish equivalent on Sunday.

Neither Billesdon Brook nor Alpha Centauri (up 9 lb to 115) are near the 120 benchmark that good Guineas winners achieve, but in running down the enterprisingly-ridden Could It Be Love (up 3 lb to 110), Alpha Centauri certainly showed enough to suggest she is a bona-fide Group 1 filly given her optimum conditions (below form in two starts on soft/heavy).

She’ll stay further later in the season, too, but the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot – and a potential clash with Billesdon Brook and French Guineas winner Teppal – is reportedly next up.

The Coronation should also see a truer version of Clemmie (remains on 118p), who faced a race against time to make it here and duly shaped as if needing the run in ninth – she is bred to shine at a mile this term (sister to Churchill).

Stablemate Happily (remains on 115), on the other hand, shaped similarly to how she did at Newmarket, again staying on to finish third, and looks in need of further than this now. Like U S Navy Flag, she thrived on her racing as a juvenile and it would be no surprise if more top-level success was to come her way once stepped up in trip.

Alpha Centauri surges late to win the @Tattersalls1766 Irish 1,000 Guineas for @Jessica_Racing at @curraghrace: pic.twitter.com/xmfRXKLBJj

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 27, 2018

Other big races at the Curragh

The Tattersalls Gold Cup was the other Group 1 prize at the meeting, but with no standout name and neither Cliffs of Moher (remains on 123) nor Defoe (remains on 124) quite at their best, Sunday’s renewal didn’t take as much winning as might have been expected.

Lancaster Bomber (up 4 lb to 125) was remarkably winning just the second race of his life, not that it was out of turn having been second in five Group 1s (also in the frame in several more). Well ridden from the front, he saw out the trip well on his first start at a mile and a quarter and has plenty of options as a result, though he's not in the Prince of Wales's Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Saturday’s Greenlands Stakes looked a red-hot renewal and duly witnessed a borderline high-class performance from the ex-Australian Merchant Navy (up 2 lb to 126), who conceded weight to some very smart rivals on what was essentially his prep run for Royal Ascot – he will be a big danger to Harry Angel et al in the Diamond Jubilee.

The Lanwades Stud Stakes revolved around the returning Hydrangea (remains on 123), who had plenty in hand on official ratings, though in the event she and her nearest market rival, Goldrush (remains on 110p), were some way below their best, and it was left to Opal Tiara (up 4 lb to 112) to pick up the pieces.

Reportedly in foal to Churchill, the winner should continue to give a good account if kept on the go in the coming weeks, while Hydrangea should prove a different proposition if heading to the Prince of Wales’s Stakes.

Other performances to note include that of Fairyland (96p from 90p) in the Marble Hill Stakes – she now heads to Ascot in the minority with both potential and professionalism to her name – and Platinum Warrior (110p from 108p) in the Gallinule Stakes. The latter was far too good for his rivals and remains with potential over middle-distances, while his effort also gave a timely boost to Hazapour’s form ahead of the Derby.

Best of the rest

Haydock played host to a strong renewal of the Temple Stakes on Saturday and, even though he didn't have to be at his best, it was still a big performance from Battaash (remains on 136) to defy a 5-lb penalty and beat the likes of Kachy (loses + on 123) and Mabs Cross (up 1 lb to 115), who both arrived in the form their lives.

A little fractious beforehand, his temperament is the main concern with him looking towards the King's Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot, as on such a big occasion he does have the potential to boil over somewhat, but in terms of his condition this should put him spot on and he's a worthy favourite on form.

Battaash holds on to win the Armstrong Aggregates Temple Stakes @haydockraces pic.twitter.com/mMneqH8Pbx

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 26, 2018

Sands of Mali (up 3 lb to 119) made it back-to-back pattern wins in the Sandy Lane Stakes, he and Invincible Army (remains on 119) coming clear of the rest in a fast time, and heads to the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot as a leading contender, while Crack On Crack On (103p from 100p) has to be high on the shortlist for the Britannia, having continued his progression with a decisive victory in a typically competitive renewal of the Silver Bowl Handicap.

Finally, Royal Ascot is also likely to be on the agenda for Recoletos (up 3 lb to 124), following his first Group 1 triumph in Sunday’s Prix d’Ispahan at Longchamp – he is entered in both the Queen Anne and the Prince of Wales’s – while 1000 Guineas runner-up Laurens (remains on 112) proved her effectiveness at a mile and a quarter without needing to improve to win the Prix Saint-Alary on the same card. She now heads to the French Oaks with terrific claims of giving Karl Burke a first Classic winner.