Ratings Update: St Leger, Irish Champions and Arc Trials Day

Doncaster

Wednesday’s low-key start to the St Leger Festival did at least feature one performance of note, with Khaadem (108p from 94P) running to a useful level in the opening conditions race despite again doing a fair bit wrong. He'll surely live up to his smart pedigree providing that he matures and learns to relax – he looks an out-and-out sprinter at this stage.

Thursday

Last year's May Hill produced the winners of the 2018 Prix de Diane and the English/German 1000 Guineas, so it’s a race worth keeping an eye on. Fleeting's (105p from 92p) surprise success –somewhat remarkably – was a first for Aidan O'Brien in the race; she looks more of an Oaks than Guineas prospect for next season. Runner-up Star Terms (up 11 lb to 101p) coped well with the step up in grade/trip, while Sand Share (now 100p from 82P) confirmed last month's Kempton debut promise in no uncertain terms. She’s stoutly bred on her dam’s side, related to the 2008 Prix Foy winner Zambezi Sun, and her sire can count the multiple Group 1-winning Midday – including at 1½m – as one of his own.

A late surge from Fleeting who scores in smart fashion in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes for @Ballydoyle at @DoncasterRaces: pic.twitter.com/1ebXsUwQbY

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 13, 2018

The Park Hill didn’t really develop until three furlongs out, though the main players still separated themselves readily. God Given (now 112) reversed Goodwood form with Pilaster (remains on 114p) to the tune of more than five lengths, better suited to this different tempo, while runner-up Horseplay (114) had no issues with the longer trip, at least in a steadily-run contest, but was just undone by her 3-lb penalty. The latter flopped in the Fillies' And Mares' Stakes on Champions Day last year but she's an improved horse this year and wouldn't be one to dismiss lightly at big odds if turning up there again.

Friday

Dancing Star (remains on 111) won the Sceptre Stakes, but it was Soldier’s Call (up 10 lb to 114) who blew the Flying Childers wide apart with a terrific display of speed, putting up one of the best performances in the race this century to gain a second success in Group company; he's the one to beat if kept to five furlongs in the Cornwallis, but the temptation must be to go for the Prix de l'Abbaye given his overly-generous two-year-old allowance, well set to pick up the pieces if the real Battaash fails to turn up.

What a performance - Soldier's Call wins the Wainwrights Flying Childers Stakes! @DoncasterRaces pic.twitter.com/eIUHoGm3i2

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 14, 2018

Runner-up in the Doncaster Cup 12 months earlier, Thomas Hobson (up 2 lb to 117) didn't have any three-year-olds to deal with this year and went one better; he's not quite in the top rank in the staying division but another tilt at the Melbourne Cup is reportedly next on his agenda.

Saturday

A gutsy Mustashry (121) made the most of some wayward Godolphin horses when landing the Park Stakes, but it was a Champagne performance from Too Darn Hot (up 3 lb to 121p) that had pulses quickening as fast as he did. He may not have won by that wide a margin but what he did in the penultimate furlong was the move of the season, closing what was at least a five length gap two furlongs out in double-quick time once shaken up. He has all the tools and talent for a Guineas, yet is bred as much for the Derby, his year-older sister showcasing the family's stamina 35 minutes later; he's about as exciting as it gets.

Lah Ti Dar (remains on 122p) was left light on experience by her absence for a job like the St Leger, her naivety costing her, but it still took an above-average St Leger winner in Kew Gardens (up 4 lb to 127) to beat her; she'll be a European heavyweight in the 1½m division as a four-year-old, ready to fill Enable's shoes if needs be. Kew Gardens, meanwhile, had this date for a long time and was a very good winner in historical terms, the best since Conduit in 2008 by Timeform's reckoning. He’ll need the emphasis on stamina to win an elite Group 1 over 1½m in 2019, and maybe he's more in the mould of Order of St George, that position now vacant within Ballydoyle.

Kew Gardens wins the William Hill St Leger! @DoncasterRaces #WHStLeger pic.twitter.com/PoIe6rNQ78

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 15, 2018

Ireland

Guineas hopeful Madhmoon (up 13 lb to 110p) impressed earlier on the Leopardstown card, however the star performance came from Laurens (now 116) whose jockey got the fractions right to upset a below-par Alpha Centauri (retired on 129) in the Matron. The winner patently failed to stay in the Yorkshire Oaks and is now a four-time Group 1 winner in her own right; the Sun Chariot may well be where we see her next. Alpha Centauri was subsequently found to have suffered an injury to her off-fore fetlock and has been retired.

The other Group 1 on the card – the Irish Champion Stakes – also saw another horse bow out, though 2000 Guineas winner Saxon Warrior (retired after suffering a tendon injury on 125) wasn’t in the class of Alpha Centauri. The race revolved around Roaring Lion (remains on 130) and Saxon Warrior who were taking each other on for the sixth time, the former winning that particular battle once again to give John Gosden his third win in this race in the last six years; the Champion Stakes at Ascot is the obvious next target, but pedigree, connections and style of racing all point to him being an ideal type for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Sunday’s card at the Curragh saw Eziyra (115) and Havana Grey (118) bounce back to winning ways, while the form principal Skitter Skatter (up 3 lb to 112p) landed the Moyglare Stud Stakes, making it a red-letter day for Patrick Prendergast and Ronan Whelan who were both recording a first ever win at Group 1 level.

A proper dust-up between two smart young colts - Charlie Appleby's Quorto gets the better of Anthony Van Dyck and remains unbeaten in the Group 1 @Goffs1866 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes! @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/lpoICcytvF

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 16, 2018

A strong renewal of the National Stakes featured a head-to-head between Godolphin's Quorto (up 9 lb to 122) and Anthony Van Dyck (up 7 lb to 118p) representing team Ballydoyle, the former maintaining his unbeaten record to become the first son of Dubawi – who himself won this very race in 2004 – to win a Group 1 as a two-year-old. The winner continues to look the real deal; the Dewhurst is the obvious next port of call should connections opt to run him again this year. The runner-up will stay at least 1¼m and remains open to improvement with that in mind.

The Irish St Leger wasn’t a vintage renewal, only one of the runners having a Group 1 win to their name beforehand. The winner Flag of Honour (up 3 lb to 123) is another who will try to fill the void left by Order of St George in the staying division next year, though in the meantime the British Champions Long Distance Cup at Ascot in October appeals as an ideal end-of-season target. Runner-up Latrobe (119) is being considered for the Melbourne Cup, though he'll clearly have stamina to prove should that endeavour come to fruition.

France

Longchamp’s Arc Trials Day was back at its traditional home, and it saw another improved performance from Kitesurf (up 2 lb to 118) to win the feature Prix Vermeille, a race that was weakened hugely by the absence of Lah Ti Dar but was easily the fastest-run of the three Arc trials held over 2400m. That Kitesurf only beat Magic Wand (up 3 lb to 117) – who had been well held in the Yorkshire Oaks last month – by a head suggests that it’s not a race to get too carried away with, though the winner has taken her form to a new level this season.

Impressive! Waldgeist storms to victory in the Group 2 Prix Foy at @paris_longchamp... pic.twitter.com/rnZEFzKao8

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) September 16, 2018

Waldgeist (up 5 lb to 127) continued his steady progression with a two and a half length beating of last year's Breeders' Cup Turf winner Talismanic (remains on 125) in the Prix Foy, part of a 1-2-3 for Andre Fabre. He’s yet to face any superstars, but his improvement this year is typical of his pedigree/connections and he’ll certainly be no back number in next month’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Brundtland (up 21 lb to 121p) and Hunting Horn (remains on 121) dominated the Prix Niel finish (ahead of the 116-rated favourite Neufbosc), with Charlie Appleby’s colt producing another large chunk of improvement to retain his unbeaten record by a short-head from the well-travelled Hunting Horn.