Radio
Url copied to clipboard.
Aidan O’Brien took his number of wins in the Coventry Stakes to eight last Tuesday when Caravaggio produced a performance that saw his Timeform master rating jump from 112p to 123p. Caravaggio is by some way the best two-year-old seen so far this year, impressive for both his wins in Ireland, and he was value for plenty extra here as he overcame unfavourable circumstances, the next four home all having raced away from Caravaggio on the far side throughout. Caravaggio was switched around two furlongs out and burst through to lead entering the final furlong, hanging right all the while but storming clear, and he’ll continue to be hard to beat. Five of O’Brien’s previous seven Coventry winners ran in the Phoenix Stakes next time—though only Fasliyev in 1999 was successful—and there’s a very strong chance that race will be Caravaggio’s next port of call. Runner-up Mehmas is building a really solid, likeable profile and got back on the up (now rated 107 from 105p) after his luckless run behind Global Applause at Sandown. Mehmas will continue to run well and there'll be pattern races in the coming months that will take less winning than the Coventry did. Third Psychedelic Funk (now rated 106) failed to repeat the form of his listed win at Naas five weeks earlier (although maybe that isn't worth quite as much as it seemed given he had the run of the race) and looks ready for a step up to seven furlongs now.
***
Ardad was rather pitched in at the deep end in the Windsor Castle Stakes just six days on from his winning debut at Yarmouth, but he quickly took his form to a different level (from 87p to 111p) as he beat 21 rivals by three and a quarter lengths and more. Ardad will stay six furlongs and will go on improving, with the July Stakes his stable won with Shalaa in 2015 reportedly on his agenda. This form looks superior to that of the beaten horses in the Coventry Stakes earlier in the afternoon and Ardad will be hard to beat at Newmarket. The runner-up spot went to 100/1-shot Savannah’s Dream (now rated 91 from 69p) who had shaped with promise when third at Ripon a fortnight earlier and will clearly be winning races. Third-placed Pedestal (96 from 89p) will be suited by a return to six furlongs but is probably a notch or two down the pecking order with regards the Ballydoyle juveniles.
***
US raider Lady Aurelia produced what is, on the face of it and taken very conservatively, as good a performance by a two-year-old filly in Timeform's long experience in the Queen Mary Stakes on Wednesday, running to a rating of 127 (previously rated 101p) in winning by seven lengths. Lady Aurelia gave an awesome display of speed and power, having the rest beaten soon after halfway, and she recorded a ridiculously fast time (1m 00.14) on the good to soft ground. She isn't quite so obviously much more mature than her rivals, in the way the same yard’s Acapulco was when winning the Queen Mary in 2015, but she is a strong sprint type and will obviously be very hard to beat wherever she goes, including against colts and older sprinters (though the Nunthorpe is reportedly unlikely). Al Johrah beat the rest comprehensively and remains on a rating of 100p.
***
Prince of Lir came on plenty for his successful debut at Beverley 19 days earlier to win the Norfolk Stakes on Thursday and his now rated 106p (from 93p). There’s more to come from Prince of Lir, with six furlongs still to explore, but in truth it was an average running of the race and the first three—completed by The Last Lion (104 from 94) and Silver Line (103p from 98p)—ran to a level some way below that which Ardad managed in winning the Windsor Castle.
***
Cuff was sent off favourite for the Albany Stakes on Friday but could manage only fifth behind her stablemate Brave Anna whose success saw her Timeform rating rise from 89p to 105p. Brave Anna nearly threw things away at the finish (edged right) and endured a hard race (her rider received a nine-day ban) but there’s no doubt she was one of the better types and may have more to offer. Bletchley stayed on strongly under firm pressure inside the final furlong and just failed. She was much improved from her debut—has leap from 89p to 105p—and was just about the pick of the runners in the paddock beforehand. She had a hard race too, but is likely to progress further, as is the Frankel filly, Queen Kindly, whose third-placed finish has seen her rating rise from 91p to 103p. Cuff could manage only fifth and isn't much on looks, but she's better than this effort indicates (rated 102) and should bounce back.
***
The final two-year-old race of the meeting, the Chesham Stakes, went to the heavily gambled-on Churchill representing Ballydoyle. The weight of money for Churchill appeared significant given he had been beaten on his debut last month and he justified the support/his reputation despite leaving the impression that he'll learn plenty more from the race (hung left before being driven out late on). Churchill is now rated 102p (from 97p), will be suited by a mile and has scope for plenty of further improvement. Runner-up Isomer reversed the form with Frankel’s first winner Cunco from their respective debuts at Newbury but both colts remain with potential, the former now rated 101p and the latter rated 98p.
Click here to read the Ratings Update on the Group 1 races at Royal Ascot 2016
.jpg&w=300)
.png&w=300)
