Ratings Update: York Ebor Festival

Older horses

The Juddmonte International at York on Wednesday represented by far the strongest middle-distance race run in Europe this year, with the winners of the Eclipse, King George and Prix Ganay featuring among a field of 12 that went to post and - in the shape of Dubai Sheema Classic and Coronation Cup winner, Postponed - the race also included the division's leading older horse on Timeform ratings. He had questions to answer coming into the £850,000 contest on the opening day of the meeting - not least the form of his stable and the drop back to a mile and a quarter for the first time since finishing third in last year's Tattersalls Gold Cup at the Curragh - but silenced his doubters with a performance of complete authority on the day, travelling smoothly throughout in the leading group's slipstream and quickly asserting when asked for his effort in the final two furlongs. He deserves his place at the head of the betting for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly in October on that evidence, but that is likely to present an even tougher challenge than the one faced at York and an unchanged Timeform rating of 132 suggests Postponed may need to find more if he is to concede 8 lb to his nearest market rival, the Derby winner and 128p-rated, Harzand. 

Highland Reel (128) improved slightly on his King George form to chase Postponed home and, with no obvious reason why he should reverse the placings with the winner at Chantilly, he looks set to repeat his globetrotting exploits of 12 months ago, with potential targets in the US, Australia and Hong Kong likely to be considered in the coming months. Mutakayyef (126) produced a career-best to take third and may have finished closer but for the winner's drift into his path in the final furlong. He has really come of age since being gelded at the end of the last campaign and now has the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Champions Day at Ascot on his agenda. 

The Great Voltigeur Stakes is the chief supporting race on the opening day of the Ebor Festival and was won this year by the Derby third, Idaho (123). A half-brother to Highland Reel, he didn't need to improve on his Epsom form to score on Wednesday and, having won the foremost trial for the race, Idaho is now as short as 5/4 for next month's St Leger at Doncaster. He would almost certainly be the pick on form, but he isn't sure to be quite so effective over nearly three furlongs further and represents a yard that have several other likely candidates for the final classic of the British season. 

Seventh Heaven comes into that category after an emphatic victory in Thursday's feature race, the Yorkshire Oaks. She stayed on strongly in the closing stages to pull two and three quarter lengths clear of stablemate Found (123) and a new Timeform rating of 125 actually puts Seventh Heaven ahead of another Ballydoyle inmate, 1000 Guineas and Oaks winner, Minding (124). While that might surprise some, running to a big rating is more about opportunity than ability, and the opportunity to race against an older horse – and a very smart one at that – in Found allowed for more expression by Seventh Heavens. Minding has been successful on her first two outings against her elders in the Pretty Polly and the Nassau Stakes, but she is yet to face an older horse as good as Found, while her professional approach to racing has prevented her from recording the wide-margin successes that would truly underline her quality. Seventh Heaven, on the other hand, was seen to maximum effect under her optimum conditions on Thursday and is unlikely to be found wanting for stamina should Doncaster be chosen as her next target.

The highlight on Friday's York card - and arguably the most highly anticipated race of the entire meeting - was the clash between July Cup winner Limato (129) and defending champion Mecca's Angel in the Nunthorpe Stakes. Limato's Newmarket victory identified him as one of the best sprinter of recent times and he consolidated that impression by pulling comfortably clear of the pack on Friday. However, his performance was overshadowed by the scintillating victory of Mecca's Angel, who was only just outside the course record set by Dayjur and achieved the best Timeform rating in the race since his tour de force in 1990. She appeared to be in control from the outset, taking it up as the field entered the final furlong and sustaining her phenomenal speed right through to the line. A new Timeform rating of 132 propels her into territory that very few sprinters in history have managed and Mecca's Angel will have what could potentially be the last start of her career in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Chantilly. She should prove nigh on impossible to beat if arriving in the same form.

Quest For More (118) opened his account in pattern company with a pillar to post victory in Friday's Lonsdale Cup, benefiting from George Baker's enterprising ride in a race devoid of any obvious speed and, if anything, he was pulling away again in the final furlong. He might not find circumstances quite so favourable next time, but should continue to give a good account. That comment also applies to Nemoralia (118), who capitalised on the drop in class with a smooth success in the City of York Stakes and - second in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot - it wouldn't be a surprise to see her add a Group 1 to her tally before the year is out. 

Saturday's Ebor Handicap looked an open renewal following the withdrawal of ante-post favourite Ivan Grozny, but turned out to be little more than a piece of work for Heartbreak City (116), who could be spotted travelling ominously well as the field turned into the straight and quickly put the race to bed when pushed out by rising star of the weighing room, Adam McNamara. The bare form of that effort suggests he wouldn't have been out of place in the previous day's Lonsdale Cup and he certainly wouldn't need to find too much improvement to be competitive in some of the better staying races on the Flat. Meanwhile, the Strensall Stakes was the final group race of the meeting for older horses and witnessed a career-best from the consistent Scottish (120). He held off the late challenge of Yorker (117+) - who shaped well on what his first start for well over two years - and is reportedly bound for some of the better races in Australia now.

Two year olds

Blue Point (121p) seemed to be beaten by a lack of experience rather than ability in the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and belatedly confirmed the promise of his first two starts with an impressive win in the Gimcrack Stakes on Saturday. He appeared to have learnt plenty from his battle with Mehmas on the Sussex Downs, travelling strongly throughout on the front end and storming clear in the manner of a most exciting two-year-old. He is likely to stay seven furlongs if asked to go that far in a race like the Dewhurst Stakes, but reportedly has next month's Middle Park Stakes - and a clash with Phoenix Stakes winner Caravaggio (123p) - at the top of his agenda, and that looks a prospect to savour, with just 2 lb currently separating the pair on Timeform ratings.

Kevin Ryan won the Acomb Stakes in 2005 with subsequent Racing Post Trophy winner, Palace Episode, and appears to have another smart prospect on his hands in the shape of Wednesday's winner of the Group 3 prize, Syphax (109p). He still doesn't look the finished article - forced to recover after a sluggish exit from the stalls and off the bridle from an early stage - but found plenty to head the equally promising Best of Days (106p) close home and is entitled to come on again with that experience under his belt. 

Fair Eva (112p) was the centre of attention in the Lowther Stakes on Thursday and was sent off the 4/11 favourite as she attempted to extend her unbeaten record to three wins from three starts. However, she could only manage a slightly one-paced third on the day and it was another daughter of the mighty Frankel, Queen Kindly (113p), that took the plaudits. She produced a smart performance to emulate her dam and 2009 Lowther Stakes winner, Lady of The Desert, and is expected to make her mark at the highest level before the year is out. The Cheveley Park Stakes appeals as an obvious target at this stage, whereas it could be that we don't see the best of Fair Eva until she is stepped up to seven furlongs and beyond, and she deserves another chance to confirm the positive impression she had created when landing the Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot.