Ratings Update: Epsom Derby meeting

This year’s Epsom Derby looked one of the most open renewals in recent memory on paper and, although US Army Ranger was backed down to 7/2 in the hours leading up to the race, that still represented the biggest starting price for the Derby favourite since Casual Conquest in 2008.

Pat Smullen and Dermot Weld were out of luck with that horse (third behind New Approach), but the pair looked to have an interesting contender for this year’s renewal in the shape of Harzand and he made amends with a thoroughly commanding success in the richest ever renewal of the race. The son of Sea The Stars had improved significantly from run to run in his short career to date and, having looked a strong stayer when winning the Group 3 Ballysax Stakes on his most recent outing at Leopardstown, he simply relished the stiff test of stamina that the Derby presents, travelling nicely into contention as the field rounded Tattenham corner and finding more when challenged by US Army Ranger in the final furlong. A new Timeform rating of 128p is well up to the standard of recent winners in general and – with his preference for a bit of ease underfoot likely to dictate where he goes in the summer – the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly looks an obvious long-term target.

However, suitable conditions could yet see him have a rematch with US Army Ranger (125p) before then and – with both still open to plenty of improvement – another clash in the Irish Derby would be a race to savour. US Army Ranger looked likely to justify his lofty position in the market when asked to deliver his challenge with two furlongs to run, but simply bumped into one too good on the day. That’s not to say the winner is guaranteed to confirm the form next time, though, and having not quite had the rub of the green through the race, US Army Ranger remains an exciting prospect for the rest of the season. His stablemate Idaho (123) ran a highly creditable race in third, doing best of those that raced closest to the fierce pace and giving the impression he will be equally effective at shorter trips. He joins Epsom fourth Wings of Desire (118) as another potential Irish Derby runner, although the St Leger route may end up being the way forward for John Gosden’s representative.

Last year’s St Leger winner Simple Verse (121) was in action earlier that afternoon, but her fourth in a stop-start renewal of the Coronation Cup is best forgotten. She was unable to show her best in the circumstances, but is unlikely to have troubled the brilliant Postponed (132) however the race was run, the winner dismissing his rivals with total authority and looking a leading contender for this season’s top middle-distance prizes. He now looks set to bid for a repeat of last year’s victory in the King George and it will be interesting to see if any of Saturday’s Derby runners are there to take him on at Ascot next month. Found (123) was slightly below her best form in second, another to be inconvenienced by the way the race was run and set for a break before bidding to repeat her 2015 heroics at the end of the season.

Minding (123) headed the smallest field for the Oaks since Ouija Board beat six rivals in 2004, but that wasn’t enough to prevent her being badly hampered by the retreating Turret Rocks around Tattenham corner. Last month’s 1000 Guineas showed her brilliant turn of foot once in the clear, though, and it is to her immense credit that she was able to pick up and overhaul the smooth-travelling Architecture (117) in the closing stages. Circumstances didn’t allow Minding to reproduce her Newmarket form, but there is no doubt she stayed the longer trip and – likely to prove a match for the colts later in the season – the Arc looks a viable option for this versatile performer. The runner-up showed much improved form to give the winner a race and – eight lengths clear of the third Harlequeen (107) - she should enjoy a rewarding summer in pattern company.

Tullius (117) returned to something like his best form to land the Group 3 Diomed Stakes on Friday’s card, the combination of a first-time visor and soft ground seemingly the key reasons for his revival. He will find life tougher with a penalty in this company now, though, and the one to take out of the race might well be the runner-up Decorated Knight (116). He didn’t appear to handle the track as well as others, but still produced a career-best effort and should open his account in this company before long. Epsom Icon (106) showed a similar level of improvement to win a weak renewal of the Group 3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday and, although she is another that will now have to carry a penalty at this level, her likeable attitude should stand her in good stead wherever she goes next.

French raider Cloth of Stars was out of luck in Saturday's Derby at Epsom and it was a similar tale of woe for our British challengers in the Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly on Sunday. Imperial Aviator and Foundation filled the last two places having been well-fancied for the Group 1 contest and were a long way behind Jean-Claude Rouget's surprise winner Almanzor (118). The form is a long way shy of that shown by Harzand and others at Epsom and, with the winner by no means guaranteed to stay 1½m on breeding, the second Zarak (115p) might be the one to take out of the race with the Arc in mind. Out of the 2008 winner Zarkava, he appeared to relish the longer trip on Sunday and deserves extra credit for getting as close as he did from an unhelpful draw.