Ratings Update: Clouds bows out with career best

An epic Bet Bright Trial Chase (Cotswold) fought out between the gallant Many Clouds and Thistlecrack, who was unbeaten in his last nine starts, on Saturday ended with the worst possible post-script as the winner collapsed and died of a suspected heart attack shortly after the line. The superb display of jumping and most willing attitude displayed by Many Clouds epitomised him as a racehorse, and he produced a career-best performance on Timeform ratings (c169). He was a most likeable type, and when winning the 2015 Grand National posted the highest Timeform rating in the race since Red Rum in the 1970s. Thistlecrack was more patiently ridden than on his previous chasing starts and didn’t jump as well as well as he has, and though he still remains open to improvement, he is now rated 175p (from 180p). He won’t be far away in the Gold Cup (Djakadam rated 174) and rightly remains ante-post favourite.

The relocated Clarence House Chase was won by Un de Sceaux, and he produced a performance right up to his best (c172) to run out a convincing five-length winner. He couldn’t match the revitalised Sprinter Sacre in last year’s Champion Chase and would find Douvan tough to crack this time around, but his form is good enough to give him a leading chance in the Ryanair, if connections decide on that option. If he did, Un de Sceaux may well meet second-place Uxizandre (c167) again, after he shaped as though retaining all of his ability on his first start since winning the 2015 Ryanair. 

The Cleeve Hurdle is often the most significant trial for what is now the Stayers' Hurdle, and it would not be surprising if Unowhatimeanharry joined a list of horses including Inglis Drever, Big Buck’s and Thistlecrack, who have all won the Cleeve en route to winning at the Festival. Unowhatimeanharry (h168) ran right up to the level he showed when winning at Newbury and Ascot earlier in the season (beating many of the same horses here, many on worse weight terms) and is entitled to be favourite for the Stayers’ Hurdle, especially as one of his main potential Irish challengers – Annie Power – is set to miss Cheltenham. Cole Harden (h156) bettered his recent efforts to finish second, but it is hard to see him reversing the form at the Festival. West Approach caught the eye in finishing third under a patient ride, and this was a career-best for him (now rated h155). There was an element of him picking up the pieces late on, but he is a smart novice and a leading contender for the Albert Bartlett should connections drop him back in to novice company.

It seems as though Wholestone will be heading for the Albert Bartlett after he won the Classic Novices’ Hurdle on the card, and though he didn’t impress in quite the same way that Yanworth did in the race last season, he progressed again (now rated h148p) and there is a lot to like about his attitude. The official Albert Bartlett trial of the day took place at Doncaster in the form of the River Don (over three miles). Constantine Bay (h142p from h137p) maintained his unbeaten record with a very determined effort (gave No Hassle Hoff 7 lb) and is very much in the picture for the top staying novices at the spring festivals.

There were only four runners for the Lightning Novices’ Chase over two miles later on the card at Doncaster, but the two Northern-trained novices that fought out the finish are both very smart, and the winner Forest Bihan (c147p from c144p) defied an error at a vital stage to take his record over fences to three wins from four starts. The likes of the Manifesto Chase at Aintree could be an ideal Spring target for him (track should suit and will take less winning than other Grade 1s).

Despite winning the Clarence House, Willie Mullins will have had better Saturdays given the news broke that Faugheen was ruled out of the following day's Irish Champion Hurdle (on Friday, Min hadn't been declared for Sunday's Irish Arkle). Ivan Grozny – sent off favourite for the Grade 3 Limestone Lad Hurdle at Naas on Saturday – was well below form, though that didn’t stop the winner Sutton Place (h160p from h141p) achieving a big rating as he brushed aside the race-fit and smart Supasundae with ease in the manner of a high-class hurdler in the making. Vroum Vroum Mag was nowhere near her best in the Doncaster Mares’ Hurdle, forced to pull out all of the stops to beat Midnight Jazz, who was 19 lb behind her on pre-race weight-adjusted ratings.

Mullins’ Sunday started off in better fashion, with the highly touted Melon – prominent in the betting for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle before running for the yard – looking a smart prospect as he scored by 10 lengths. He is Timeform rated h139P and even at this early stage looks like he will have all the attributes to hold his own in a higher grade.

Let’s Dance made it two on the day for Mullins and four wins from her last four starts in the two and a half mile Grade 2 next on the card, not needing to improve on her previous impressive C&D win last month but again creating a really positive impressive (remains on h144p).

The next race on the card, the Irish Arkle, was about as uninformative as Cheltenham trials can be, with the exits of Identity Theif (first fence), Bleu et Rouge (third) and Royal Caviar (last) leaving Some Plan a most fortunate winner. Royal Caviar was two lengths up and still travelling strongly when departing and was going to improve on his previous form (now c145p from c136p), though it's doubtful he's the best Arkle hope in the Mullins yard. He's also already nine, whereas Min is six.

With no Faugheen in the Irish Champion Hurdle the way was paved for Petit Mouchoir to land a second Grade 1 over C&D, albeit in less impressive fashion than the Ryanair Hurdle at Christmas. The margin was smaller, but it was probably still as good a performance given he was pressed harder up front this time, and he remains rated h164, likely to be a major contender in the Champion Hurdle.