Ratings Update: Limato the star of the July Festival

The highlight of Newmarket’s three-day July Meeting is of course the July Cup, traditionally one of the hottest sprint contests of the season, and now, with the new three-year-old sprint programme in place, the first opportunity for the generations to clash at the top level over six furlongs.

Muhaarar added the July Cup to the first running of the Commonwealth Cup last year, but this year’s winner Quiet Reflection (122) could only manage third at Newmarket with no obvious excuses. Suedois (122) continued his solid start for David O’Meara in second place with just about his best effort to date, but in truth neither stood much of a chance against the decisive winner Limato (now rated 129 from 125), who put up a performance as good as any in the July Cup this century, on a par with the likes of Sakhee's Secret and Oasis Dream. Limato – having his first start at six furlongs since finishing second to Muhaarar in last year’s Commonwealth Cup – will not step back up to a mile for the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood after banging his head, and will reportedly tackle the Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville next provided the ground is not too soft.

The other Group 1 race at the July Festival is the Falmouth, won this year by Alice Springs (117 from 116) who had looked a shade unlucky in third in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last month when meeting trouble. However, the fact that both Duke of Cambridge Stakes winner Usherette (reportedly bled post-race and remains on 125) and last year’s winner Amazing Maria were below form means that this looks just an average renewal, and Alice Springs will likely face much tougher challengers at this level, for all she may find a bit more improvement during the second half of the season (pedigree and run style suggest she will be at least as effective at a mile and a quarter).

Big Orange (123 from 120) doubled up in the Princess of Wales’s Stakes under another well-judged ride from the front – this time by James McDonald – beating dual Group 1 winner The Grey Gatsby (124 from 127), who didn’t get the best of rides in comparison to the winner, with Jockey Club Stakes winner Exosphere back in third. Big Orange followed up in the Goodwood Cup in 2015 and should put in a bold bid to do the same again.

The most impressive winner at Newmarket last Thursday was Lumiere, who won the listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes by six lengths, bouncing back from her disappointing 1000 Guineas return and proving herself in no uncertain terms over a mile. Lumiere is now Timeform-rated 118 and is ready for an immediate return to the top level. It is worth pointing out that the way she went through the race suggests that seven furlongs would be no inconvenience for her, and she has plenty of options going forward.

Mehmas had nothing of the calibre of Caravaggio in opposition in the July Stakes on Thursday and improved a little on his second in the Coventry to win by half a length. Mehmas is now rated 110 (from 107) and should continue to give a good account in pattern races over six furlongs, with that looking his optimum trip for now.

The Superlative Stakes, also for two-year-olds, has varied in quality since it was raised to Group 2 standard in 2006, but Saturday’s race looks to be as good a renewal as there has been in that time, with Boynton (110p) showing much improved form from his winning debut at Goodwood to beat the well-backed War Decree (108p) into second. The pair pulled five lengths clear of the field, and are both up to making an impact in the top two-year-old races into the autumn.

Away from Newmarket last week, there were notable performances from Mutakayyef (123 from 120), who continued his excellent season (gelded in the winter) to take the Summer Mile at Ascot by two and a quarter lengths from Dutch Connection. This win entitles him to a crack at Group 1 level, with the likes of the Sussex Stakes (for which he would need supplementing for) a feasible target given the openness of the mile division this season.

York’s City Walls Stakes on Saturday was listed by name but had a group-calibre field and was fought out between two three-year-old fillies who put up efforts that would see them competitive in top-level sprints. Winner Marsha (122 from 119) and second Easton Angel (121 from 115) are both on the up and are worth keeping an eye on for the remainder of the season. Both are currently entered in the King George Stakes at Goodwood.