Ratings Update: Colts' trials throw up challengers to Churchill

Churchill remains a firm favourite for the 2000 Guineas, but both of last week’s major trials for the first colts’ classic revealed some potentially serious rivals to Aidan O’Brien’s market leader. First to throw his hat in the ring was Eminent (116p from 82p), who, in what was to be something of a theme for the week, made huge strides from a debut win, in a course-and-distance maiden last year, to beat the Racing Post Trophy winner Rivet by a length and three quarters. A big, imposing son of Frankel, Eminent ran green when shaken up and looks sure to do better still for trainer Martyn Meade. The other big improver in the Craven was third-placed Benbatl (110p from 99p) who was a neck behind the runner-up in third, he too having just his second start after a winning debut.

Benbatl was Godolphin’s representative in the Craven, but they had better luck in Newbury’s Greenham Stakes on Saturday where Richard Hannon and Saeed bin Suroor provided a one-two in the royal blue. An impressive winner of his only start at two, Barney Roy (121p from 96P) looked a colt out of the top drawer when overcoming inexperience to run out the two-length winner from Dream Castle (115p from 98P) who himself looked like registering an impressive success when sweeping to the front, only to find Barney Roy too strong in the last hundred yards.  Whereas Barney Roy looks a live Guineas contender back at a mile, Dream Castle (another son of Frankel, incidentally) shapes as though he’ll prove best at shorter trips but he’s no less an exciting prospect having pulled four lengths clear of the third.

Aidan O’Brien’s Craven and Greenham contenders, War Decree and War Secretary, both finished well beaten but Ballydoyle did strike in the Free Handicap at Newmarket with another son of War Front, Whitecliffsofdover (114 from 107). He’s clearly a smart colt, though he was seen to advantage from the front in a tactical race and doesn’t hold a Guineas entry.

John Gosden had an excellent week with his three-year-old fillies, starting with Daban (107p from 82p) in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket. She was yet another to have won her only start beforehand, in her case a maiden at Kempton last year, but left that form well behind with a beating of more experienced rivals who were headed by Oh So Sharp Stakes third Unforgetable Filly (105 from 97) three quarters of a length back in second. Daban will stay a mile and looks well worth her place in the Guineas.

The red and white colours of Mr Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah were also carried to victory in Newbury’s 1000 Guineas trial, the Fred Darling Stakes, by Dabyah (remains on 110p), though she had already shown smart form at two when third in the Prix Marcel Boussac and didn’t need to run to quite the same level when making all for a length and a quarter win over the fairly exposed Urban Fox (102 from 97). Dabyah seems more likely to head back to France for the Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.

Gosden is entitled to be thinking further ahead than the Guineas, though, as far as the fillies’ classics are concerned, after Shutter Speed (110p from 86p) put herself forward as an Oaks candidate when readily winning a useful mile and a quarter conditions race at Newbury on Friday. A winner at Yarmouth on her only start last year, Shutter Speed looks likely to take in the Musidora at York next month, following the same route taken successfully by Gosden’s 2015 winner of the Newbury race Star of Seville. Gosden and Juddmonte were represented by the other filly in the line-up, and Enable (102p from 83p) also stepped up markedly on a successful debut in finishing third, shaping as though a step up in trip will suit.

Before leaving the Flat, a couple of older horses who improved their ratings with pattern-race wins are worthy of a mention. Steel of Madrid (120 from 116) was one of the longer-priced runners in the Earl of Sefton Stakes at Newmarket but returned at four with an improved effort for Richard Hannon, while at Navan on Sunday Torcedor (114 from 108) made it two out of two since joining Jessica Harrington when accounting for the odds-on Order of St George in the Vintage Crop Stakes. Last year’s Gold Cup winner was some way below his peak form but shaped encouragingly conceding weight to the winner who had the benefit of a recent run.

Turning to the jumps, there were some smart performances at Ayr’s Scottish Grand National meeting, and not just from Vicente (152 from 149) who made up for his first-fence exit at Aintree to win the big race for the second year running. He’ll surely be entitled to another crack at the Grand National next year. Label des Obeaux (151 from 143) held a Scottish National entry but went for the novices’ handicap chase earlier on the card instead, putting up a smart performance and finding plenty under joint-top weight. He’s one for staying handicap chases next season. The likeable Cloudy Dream ran up to his existing best (153) to gain a deserved win, after seconds at Cheltenham and Aintree, in the Future Champion Novices’ Chase. Runner-up Theinval (149 from 147) briefly looked the winner in what was his second start in twenty-four hours after going down to another smart novice, Two Taffs (147 from 146), in the listed handicap the day before.

There was also a smart performance over hurdles earlier on Saturday’s supporting card when Chesterfield (148 from 142) followed up his recent Aintree success off an 11 lb higher mark in the Scottish Champion Hurdle. He again showed he’s especially effective at the minimum trip when speed rather stamina is at a premium.