Ratings Update: McDonald serves up Plate success for Godolphin

Antiquarium produced a career best to win the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle last Saturday and is now rated 113 (from 106). Godolphin’s four-year-old benefited from the step up in trip to two miles and overcame odds of 999/1 in-running to win, meeting trouble two furlongs out and still having plenty to do approaching the final furlong before leading in the dying strides. He’s clearly unexposed over staying trips and is also lightly raced overall, having not made his debut until the February of his three-year-old year. Seamour showed the benefit of his reappearance run and looked firmly in control entering the final furlong (traded at 100/1-on) only to be worn down late on. He was evidently trained for this day and ran as well as he ever has, now rated 113 (from 109). Having missed the cut for the Northumberland Plate, Dannyday found plenty to win the consolation race, the Northumberland Vase, and is now rated 109p (from 108p).

Markaz produced his best effort to date when winning the Group 3 Chipchase Stakes on the same card and is now rated 122 (from 116). The drop back to six furlongs was probably the catalyst for his improvement as opposed to switching to the all-weather as he’s not always given the impression that he's a proper stayer at seven furlongs despite his Criterion success as a three-year-old. It’ll probably be the July Cup for Markaz next and, whilst a reproduction of this form shouldn't be good enough for him to win, it could well be sufficient for him to make the frame.  The Chipchase runner-up Pretend ran creditably after 13 months off but he’s had his master rating trimmed from 123 to 121 and placing him at this time of year isn't going to be easy.

Another quality race at Newcastle was the listed Hoppings Stakes for fillies and mares last Friday. It was won by Nezwaah who resumed winning ways back on the all-weather after six weeks off, taking her rating to 111+ (from 102) in the process. Newaah may only be a compact filly but she’s clearly going the right way and is certainly worth a crack in even better company on this showing, while she's going to stay further than a mile and a quarter, too. The well-backed More Mischief ran respectably making her all-weather debut to finish runner-up, just proving vulnerable to a lightly-raced three-year-old in the final furlong. She’s likely to continue in form, as is the consistent Oakley Girl who met some trouble before finishing third.

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Over at the Curragh in Ireland, Harzand maintained his dominance over the five colts that re-opposed him from the English Derby in the Irish Derby on Saturday, scoring by half a length from Idaho. Harzand was ultimately strong in the betting after his participation had been in some doubt earlier in the week and didn't need to improve on his 128p master rating to confirm superiority over the 123-rated Idaho. Harzand’s battling qualities were again on show, pulling out a bit extra when required in the final furlong, and there’s every chance that we have yet to see the best of him, with the Arc—a race won by his sire Sea The Stars—reportedly his main target now. Idaho typically sweated up beforehand—his full brother Highland Reel has done the same thing and still run well—and again performed with credit, with a more conservative ride enabling him to get closer to Harzand than he had previously. It’s surely only a matter of time before Idaho adds to his solitary win, and it’d be no surprise if he were to follow a similar programme to the aforementioned Highland Reel who went on to win the Arlington Million and Hong Kong Vase after being beaten in the Irish Derby in 2015.

There was a poor turnout for the other Group 1 of the weekend, the Pretty Polly Stakes for fillies and mares, with the presence of the 122-rated multiple classic winner Minding scaring away plenty of the opposition. Minding was the only three-year-old in the five-runner field and duly justified very short odds by four and a half lengths from Bocca Baciata, who was the only other horse to run up to form (112) having dictated and gone clear when shaken up over two furlongs out. Minding didn't need to be at her very best to easily land a fifth Group 1 and she’ll reportedly head to the Irish Oaks or the Nassau Stakes next time, either likely to prove a penalty kick for her, with a future meeting against the colts much more highly anticipated.

There were also disappointing turnouts for the three other pattern races on the Pretty Polly card, namely the Group 2 Curragh Cup, the International Stakes and the Grangecon Stud Stakes (both Group 3s). Sword Fighter ran at least as well as when winning the Queen’s Vase nine days earlier to take the Curragh Cup from his stablemate and Queen’s Vase fourth Landofhopeandglory and is now rated 108 (from 107). Sword Fighter is building into a likeable and smart stayer, and though stiffer tasks surely await, he's in excellent hands and will continue to give a good account at the very least. Sir Isaac Newton was another Ballydoyle horse to follow up success at Royal Ascot (Wolferton Handicap) when taking the International Stakes from his biggest form rival Chemical Charge. Sir Isaac Newton has been raised 1 lb to a master rating of 116 and looks worth his place in higher grade now, with the Arlington Million touted as a potential future target, a race which ought to really suit his style. Chemical Charge has been downgraded from 118p to 115. The first five finished in a heap in the Grangecon Stud Stakes, with Roly Poly (94) just coming out on top.

The Group 2 Railway Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday was won by Medicine Jack who is improving in leaps and bounds and is now rated 106p (from 98p). Peace Envoy edged his rating up a couple of lbs to 104 in second, while the third, Dream of Dreams, did very well to get as close as he did under the circumstances given he missed the break and pulled his way into a prominent position after a furlong. He’s now rated 104p.