Ratings Update: Cox sprinters on course for Ascot

There was no mistaking the best performance of the weekend. Harry Angel looked a top-notch sprinter in the making, on just his fourth start, when demolishing his field from the front in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock to take his rating from 118 to 127. In winning by four and a half lengths, the Clive Cox-trained three-year-old broke the track record – which often simply reflects no more than the fact that conditions were very fast (which they were, Haydock missing the worst of the weekend’s rain) – though an exceptional timefigure on this occasion backs up the view that Harry Angel put up the performance of a high-class sprinter. A rematch with his Ascot conqueror Blue Point and Ireland’s Caravaggio in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot is one to look forward to.

Half an hour later Harry Angel’s stable-companion Priceless showed a bit more improvement (119 from 117) to give their trainer a quick Group 2 double in the Temple Stakes over five furlongs. Priceless has now won three of her last four starts since dropping to the minimum trip and bids to emulate the same connections’ Profitable who followed up in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot after winning last year’s Temple Stakes. Everything dropped right for Priceless, however, in contrast to runner-up Goldream who lost more ground at the start than he was eventually beaten by but confirmed his return to the sort of form (121 from 118) which won him the King’s Stand two years ago. Like the pair who beat him, Alpha Delphini (119 from 116) improved on his running in the Palace House Stakes at Newmarket earlier in the month to finish a close-up third with his best effort to date.

Over in Ireland, the Guineas winners Churchill and Winter both followed up their Newmarket wins under softer conditions at a rain-hit Curragh to add yet another couple of classics to Aidan O’Brien’s record. Both impressed in landing the odds, Churchill running right up to his Newmarket form (126p) and Winter confirming that she’s a much-improved filly (121p from 120p), and they’ll be the ones to beat again in their respective races at Royal Ascot. Churchill was the only winner on Saturday’s card to come from the off pace, showing a fine turn of foot in a more strongly-run race than the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket to account for Thunder Snow (120 from 119) who put his Kentucky Derby debacle behind him in finishing clear of the rest. As for Winter, she had the best part of five lengths to spare at the finish over stable-companions Roly Poly (remains on 112) and Hydrangea (stays on 109).

With Minding out injured, O’Brien had to settle for places at best with his runners in the Curragh’s other Group 1 on Sunday, the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Al Kazeem won this twice for Roger Charlton who was successful this time with improving five-year-old Decorated Knight (122 from 120), now the winner of five of his last seven races. However, he’s likely to need to improve some more for further wins at the highest level. Runner-up Somehow has thrived on a busy spring campaign and returned to her best (118) ahead of recent Chester winner Deauville (stays on 122) who ran just respectably in third.

Several other older horses have put up smart efforts in middle-distance contests in recent days, notably Autocratic (119 from 111p) who showed marked improvement to become Sir Michael Stoute’s ninth winner of Sandown’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes. Goodwood’s listed races won by Second Step (117 from 116+) and First Sitting (116 from 111) were both tactical affairs. Second Step, having just his second start for Roger Charlton, ran his best race for a while (in receipt of weight from runner-up Desert Encounter who remains on 119), while First Sitting caused a surprise in his race in which he was seen to maximum advantage.

There was Group 1 action in France, too, and while Jean-Claude Rouget didn’t have last season’s champion three-year-old Almanzor ready for the Prix d’Ispahan at Chantilly, stable-companion Mekhtaal, who has Royal Ascot entries, proved an able deputy, showing some improvement (120 from 118) to get the better of the Harry Dunlop-trained Robin of Navan (119 from 116) in a tactical affair favouring those who raced prominently.

With the Gold Cup looming, some of Europe’s top stayers have had successful warm-ups lately, though without needing to match their master ratings; Order of St George (128) and Vazirabad (124) gained repeat wins in the Saval Beg Stakes at Leopardstown and Prix Vicomtesse Vigier at Chantilly respectively, while Big Orange (122) made all for a five-length win in the Henry II Stakes at Sandown. As well as these established stayers, another Gold Cup entry, Dal Harraild (121p from 120p) announced he’ll be one to reckon with back in group races after resuming his progress to win the listed Grand Cup Stakes at York with authority, relishing his first try beyond a mile and a half.

Back in Ireland, there were smart performances from veteran sprinter Gordon Lord Byron who showed he’s no back number (116 from 107) when landing a sixteenth career win in the Greenlands Stakes, and from five-year-old mare Creggs Pipes who was better than ever (114 from 107) when making all in the Lanwades Stud Stakes for fillies and mares. Both were seen to best effect in those races, but potentially more interesting for the future is Ger Lyons’ Royal Hunt Cup entry Sea Wolf (115 from 110) who put up the handicap performance of the weekend when carrying 10-1 to victory in the final event on Sunday’s Curragh card.  

Saturday’s Marble Hill Stakes at the Curragh threw up an Irish two-year-old for Royal Ascot when the Jessica Harrington-trained Brother Bear (103p from 92p) made it two from two with a three-length win in the listed contest (run over six furlongs for the first time), seeming to relish the conditions much more than the leading Godolphin and Ballydoyle representatives.