Ratings Update: Ballydoyle's net closes on Epsom

We’re firmly into Epsom Trials season now, which is good news for Ballydoyle backers/accountants, as the money has rolled in over the last week thanks to stable victories in the Chester Vase and Dee Stakes in Cheshire, the Derby Trial at Lingfield, and the Derrinstown Stud Trial at Leopardstown. In terms of bare ratings, Sir Dragonet (118p; timefigure of 117) achieved marginally the most when sweeping through from last place in a soundly-run Vase. He has burst onto the scene suddenly, this success coming less than two weeks after he had belied market weakness to win a maiden; his progress must've even taken connections by surprise because he's not even entered in the Derby, but such a commanding trial win as this surely warrants a supplementation for Epsom for a renewal that, at this stage at least, looks fairly open.

Sir Dragonet bolted up to take victory in the MBNA Chester Vase at @ChesterRaces!https://t.co/m9SI4IBnPV

Join us LIVE tomorrow at 1:30pm on @ITV4 pic.twitter.com/1wVfXDxAVJ

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) May 8, 2019

Anthony Van Dyck (remains on 118; performance rating of 113) relished the longer trip as he made a winning return back down in grade at Lingfield, for all that he didn't have to improve, while Circus Maximus (114p) also looked all about stamina when beating stablemate Mohawk (up 2 lb to 111) in the Dee. The winner was the first of the sextet to be niggled along before proving very strong through the last quarter of the race, probably dossing a bit once he'd put the race to bed, driven out to make sure; in terms of the Derby, he probably lacks the class of some of his stable companions, but he's still a really good prospect for 1½m+, potential even for him to make up into a St Leger candidate later in the season.

Broome (remains on 122; performance rating of 112) completed a clean sweep when following up his Ballysax win in the Derrinstown, more workmanlike than impressive on this occasion but doing it in fairly similar fashion, again very strong at the finish. Just touched off at Group 1 level last year, he has run to a higher Timeform figure this year than any of Aidan O'Brien's other Derby Trial winners (Japan still to come) and heads to Epsom with strong claims, especially with the step up to 1½m looking sure to show him in an even better light.

Other notable performances at Leopardstown included wins for Aga Khan-owned horses in the 1,000 Guineas Trial (Hamariyna – up 12 lb to 100p) and Amethyst Stakes (Hazapour – up 1 lb to 114). Future plans are reportedly fluid for the former (not currently in the Irish 1000 Guineas), but she looks very much the type who will go on improving.

Back in England, the Cheshire Oaks has a strong recent history (won by Enable in 2017 and subsequent Royal Ascot-winner Magic Wand 12 months ago), and although we may not have seen a filly of quite the same calibre this year, Mehdaayih (up 7 lb to 104p) did win with real authority and had a previous listed winner in second (Manuela de Vega – up 2 lb to 100p) to give a bit more substance to the form. 

Sticking with fillies, the time of Saturday's Oaks Trial at Lingfield compared well with the Derby Trial that followed, and the runaway winner Anapurna (up from 85p to 108p) certainly created a good impression. She's from a very talented family, but temperament is a constant in the pedigree, too, something to keep an eye on as she moves up the ranks, but there can be no doubt she has further potential and has earned her place in the Oaks field.

Friday's Chester Cup – which was unrecognisable from most renewals due to the rain-softened ground – was turned into a procession by Making Miracles (up 6 lb to 117). The draw was rather turned on its head with the two highest-berthed runners getting across to sit first and second, the winner effectively in full control of the race as soon as he got to the front, his jockey Franny Norton - winning the race for the first time - allowed to set a sensible pace in the conditions, the slowest winning time of the race since 1988. Acknowledging the obvious caution required in taking the bare result literally given the conditions, the next handful home behind the winner all have plenty of form in similar events and the race is likely to stand up better than might be expected.

A rout! Making Miracles wins the @SportPesa_UK Chester Cup for Franny Norton and @Johnston_Racing! @ChesterRaces #BoodlesMayFest #ChesterRaces pic.twitter.com/gJqXOFVQ8D

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 10, 2019

Forest Ranger (remains on 119) won the Huxley Stakes for the second year in a row, perhaps best suited by a race that didn’t see favourite Addeybb (120) to best effect, while Morando (up 5 lb to 123; timefigure of 116) produced the joint-best performance of the week when beating Kew Gardens (remains on 127) by eight lengths in the Ormonde Stakes. The winner proved better than ever as he defied a Group 3 penalty with ease, providing his connections with yet another winner in the early part of this season; it's hard to know just how high he'll go, this only his second start at around 1½m after all.

The other 123-performance came from Salouen in a listed contest at Ascot on Saturday. With Barsanti below form, it was all plain sailing for the Group 1-placed Salouen as he resumed winning ways for the first time since his two-year-old days; he dictated a slow pace, the time slower still than the steadily-run handicap over C&D that opened the card.

Cape Byron (up 2 lb to 117) inflicted yet another heritage handicap runner-up place upon Kynren (up 3 lb to 111) in the Victoria Cup, with Raising Sand (113) catching the eye in fourth (set a lot to do before flashing home), while Saturday’s other big handicap – the Swinton Handicap Hurdle at Haydock - was shaped by the overly-positive ride on Sofia's Rock (137p), who hung around until the last but eventually succumbed to a quartet from the pack, led by Le Patriote (up 7 lb to 150). He completed the hat-trick on his biggest stage yet, testament once more to a trainer with few peers when it comes to sustained improvement; presumably Galway will come into consideration next.

Persian King delivers in the Group 1 Emirates Poule d’Essai des Poulains at @paris_longchamp… pic.twitter.com/ZxxNhQbo33

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) May 12, 2019

Finally, Persian King (remains on 122p) coped with much more testing conditions in Sunday’s French 2000 Guineas than he'd encountered before, rather than giving the impression he relished them. He continues on a roll (only horse to have beaten him, Anodor (108) on debut, down the field here) and remains capable of better, bred to stay further than a mile too, which makes a classic double in the Prix du Jockey Club a real possibility. The French 1000 Guineas was won – eventually, following a prolonged photo-finish – by Castle Lady (up 1 lb to 112p). Just a nose separated the Henri-Pantall-trained filly from Commes (up 19 lb to 112) at the line, her unbeaten record now featuring three wins in the space of two months; a Royal Ascot date (Coronation Stakes) is a real possibility, while the Prix de Diane is next on the agenda for the more stoutly-bred runner-up.