Ratings Update: Dominant display from Frankuus

The Rose of Lancaster Stakes was the feature race at Haydock on Saturday and it looked a strong Group 3 on paper, though less so in the actual event, as Frankuus (up 7 lb to 118) took the race away from most with a dominant display. He has found new impetus for the fitting of blinkers and switch to front-running tactics the last twice, smothered at the end at Hamilton by Defoe, but not for catching this time, controlling from start to finish. At double the winners age, six-year-old Mount Logan (up 2 lb to 117) was the only one to make any inroads on Frankuus, proving once and for all that he belongs in pattern company after fluffing his lines when tried last year. The pair pulled five lengths clear of the chasing pack, which Laraaib (112+ from 112p), who met with defeat for the first time, led home. That needn't spell the end of the progressive road for him, though, this just his fourth race of his life after all.

The Sir Michael Stoute-trained El Cap (108p from 100+) proved himself a progressive three-year-old in the 1m handicap, easily brushing one aside who had set a reasonable gallop to win by three and a half lengths. His strength at the finish adds weight to the idea he'll be at least as effective at 1¼m, and that he'll go on improving, so he wouldn’t be out of place in listed or minor pattern company. Elsewhere on the card, Sea of Grace (remains on 112) deservedly opened her account for William Haggas in a 1m listed race. This was a marked drop in grade for her having contested Group 1s the last twice, but she made no mistake and easily justified short-priced favouritism. She clearly goes well on ground softer than good and is now ready for a step back up in grade – she’s well up to winning more pattern races. Mittens (also unchanged on 106) was the disappointment of the race, though she is perhaps feeling the effects of a recent busy spell, and shouldn’t be judged too harshly.

At Newmarket, the Sweet Solera Stakes had an interesting mix of those that had shown useful form at listed/pattern level, and promising maiden/novice winners. Tajaanus (102 from 100p) wasn’t well fancied in the market, but progressed again to make it three wins from four starts, but her first at pattern level. She was well positioned as things went, always up with the pace, but showed a willing attitude when pressed. The maiden which Poetic Charm (95p from 92p) won on debut has thrown up several winners, and she was sent off a well-backed favourite, but she could only run to a similar level as then, though she wasn’t as well placed as the principals.

On Sunday, the Curragh hosted the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes, which was a smart renewal of the first Group 1 two-year-old contest of the year in Ireland. The form has a very solid look to it too, with the first three home, Sioux Nation (up 5 lb to 114), Beckford (remains on 113p), and Actress (remains on 105) all already successful in pattern company this year. Sioux Nation, who is getting better with racing – perhaps just beginning to fill his considerable frame – held off his main marketrival to maintain Aidan O'Brien's stranglehold on this race, this the sixteenth time he has won it since 1998. Beckford lost nothing in defeat, he just couldn’t live with the winner’s superior turn of foot, and he looks ready for a step up to 7f now; the National Stakes appeals as an obvious target. Washington DC (remains on 119) made it trebles on the day for both Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore in the Group 3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes. He had hinted at a revival when five lengths fifth to Battaash in the King George Stakes at Goodwood and, with the blinkers retained back up in trip, he bounced back to his best to resume winning ways. He will need everything to drop right if he's going to break his duck at the highest level, though.

There was also Group 1 action in France on Sunday, which saw Al Wukair (remains on 125), who finished third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, win the Prix Jacques le Marois at Deauville. He looked set only for third place well inside the final furlong, but stayed on strongly to narrowly prevail from Inns of Court (up 6 lb to 123) in a tight finish. The well-bred God Given (107p from 104p), who is a half-sister to the top-class Postponed, completed a hat-trick in the Group 3 Prix Minerve later on the card. She didn’t need to improve on the form of her listed success at Newmarket, but showed a likable attitude, making all to win by one and three quarter lengths, and she is likely to progress further, too.