Ratings Update: Haggas smiling on riveting weekend

The Group 1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster was the highlight of a busy weekend’s action under both codes and was won by the William Haggas-trained Rivet (up 3 lb to 113). He had blotted his copybook when three and a half lengths fifth on his penultimate outing in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, but bounced back in likeable fashion on Saturday, travelling strongly on the front-end throughout and keeping on well to see off the attentions of favourite Yucatan (down 2 lb to 109 and loses his ‘p’). Connections were inclined to blame the track for his defeat at Newmarket, but didn’t rule out a return to that venue for the 2000 Guineas next May and Rivet certainly looks an exciting prospect for them to go to war with in 2017.

To Be Wild (up 21 lb to 110p) still had an entry in the St Leger when making a successful reappearance at Ffos Las in July and looked a pattern performer in the making when running out a four-length winner of a competitive handicap on Town Moor. He remains open to more improvement after just three starts in his short career to date and looks destined for bigger and better things next year.

William Haggas could be represented in both classics next spring following Cristal Fizz's (up 14 lb to 104p) victory in the listed JLT Stakes at Newbury on Saturday. She appeared to have a bit in hand when running down stablemate Glitter Girl (rating unchanged on 100) deep inside the final furlong and put herself in line for a 1000 Guineas trial next year, with the step up to a mile expected to see her in an even better light.

The final Flat meeting of the year at Newbury also featured a pair of Group 3 contests. The Horris Hill Stakes went the way of Ralph Beckett's Pleaseletmewin (up 9 lb to 106), who resumed his progress after a below-par effort in the Autumn Stakes at Newmarket and had two and a quarter lengths to spare at the finish. That didn't look the strongest race of its kind, though, and he is likely to find life tougher in other pattern events next year. Meanwhile, Duretto (up 5 lb to 114) proved better than ever when defeating the unexposed three-year-old Mountain Bell (up 7 lb to 110) in the St Simon Stakes and should continue to acquit himself well in similar races next season.

Making Light (up 6 lb to 99p) created a deep impression when opening her account at Limerick earlier in the month and confirmed the promise of that effort with a comfortable victory in the Group 3 Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday. She doesn't have any fancy entries at this stage, but has shown enough to suggest she is worth her place in a classic trial next spring.

The Racing Post Trophy was the last Group 1 to be staged in both the UK and Ireland this year, but there is plenty going on elsewhere around the globe and there were two such events taking place at Saint-Cloud and Moonee Valley this weekend. 

Vazirabad (rating unchanged on 123) didn't need to improve to defend his Prix Royal-Oak crown at the first-named venue on Sunday and it was the remarkable Winx (up 5 lb and 'p' added, 133p) that attracted the headlines after her eight-length victory in Australia's premier weight-for-age race on Saturday, the Cox Plate. She recorded her 13th consecutive victory - and second in the Cox Plate - with a performance that had to be seen to be believed and there can be no doubting her credentials as one of the best horses in the world currently in training.

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The 2016/17 jumps season is slowly beginning to click into gear and the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby on Saturday looks set to be a cracker, with Coneygree and Cue Card featuring among 11 entered at the five-day stage. 

Trainer Colin Tizzard received a timely boost ahead of the latter's return to action on Sunday, with Third Intention (rating unchanged on 157§) making the most of a good opportunity and running out a one-and-three-quarter-length winner of the Old Roan Chase at Aintree. He is a bit below the very top-level on all known form, though, and some of those in behind will be of more interest moving forward. God's Own (rating unchanged on 168) and Smad Place (unchanged on 166) both shaped well in second and fourth respectively, and can be expected to enjoy productive campaigns if returning to the top-class form they each showed last season.

Finally, Cheltenham hosted a typically competitive meeting to kick-start the 2016/17 season at the track on Friday and Saturday. It remains to be seen whether any of the weekend's winners will be back to follow up at the main event in March, but special mentions must go out to Sceau Royal (rating now 150p from 135+) and Fox Norton (up 13 lb to 160), who each caught the eye with impressive victories on Saturday's card.

Sceau Royal barely came out of second gear when landing the four-year-old hurdle which has been won by the likes of Dodging Bullets and Tiger Roll in recent years, while Fox Norton blew the field apart in the two-mile handicap chase and looks a potentially high-class chaser for the Neil Mulholland yard this winter.