Ratings Update: York Ebor Festival

Wednesday

The feature race on the opening day of the meeting, the £1 million Juddmonte International, provided a welcome shot in the arm for the classic crop in a year in which the middle-distance three-year-olds had hitherto fallen below par, most notably in the King George.

The common denominator in both races was leading older horse Crystal Ocean (remains on 131), who was carried out on his shield at Ascot and again went down only narrowly at the hands of Japan (up 3 lb to 127p) this time round, with the tooth-and-nail battle that they fought up the straight making a tremendous spectacle for those fortunate enough to witness it.

The long run-in suited Japan well on this drop back in trip, forcing his head in front close home to confirm himself the best middle-distance three-year-old around. The Irish Champion Stakes will test his credentials as a top-class ten-furlong horse even more than this, but, looking further ahead, he may well prove the biggest threat to Enable in the Arc, hard to believe that he won't be better back over a mile and a half.

Crystal Ocean dipped just slightly below the top-class level he'd produced in the Prince of Wales's Stakes and maintained in the King George, the quicker ground over this trip probably not quite ideal, not that he needs an excuse. Yet to finish worse than second in six Group 1 starts, he'll likely be the one to beat on form in the Champion Stakes back at Ascot.

That race is also likely to be the big end-of-season target for the third Elarqam (up 1 lb to 125), who probably would have finished even closer to the first pair with a clear run (endured troubled passage inside final furlong), while there are also likely to be better days ahead for the fourth King of Comedy (125 from 126p), though he still has a fair bit of growing up to do if he's to fulfil his potential, proving a far from easy ride over this longer trip (took strong hold).

🏇 WHAT. A. RACE.

🇯🇵 Japan provides Aidan O'Brien with a sixth success in the G1 Juddmonte International @yorkracecourse, defeating Crystal Ocean in a thriller!

🏆 A second G1 victory for the three-year-old son of Galileo#ClassicEbor pic.twitter.com/Fd6BDCmTpO

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 21, 2019

Four of the five runners in the Great Voltigeur were either Group 3 winners or Group 1 placed, but instead it was Newbury handicap winner - from a BHA mark of 90 - Logician (up 11 lb to 124p) who was sent off the odds-on favourite, and he duly showed himself to be one of the very best of his generation, comfortably beating a very smart yardstick in the shape of Constantinople (up 4 lb to 120).

Remarkably, his closing sectional suggests that he could have posted an even bigger timefigure than the handy one he clocked had the gallop been even stronger, and there's little doubt Logician would take the beating in the St Leger now, particularly with Japan highly likely to be heading elsewhere, though connections were in no rush to commit him to the final classic, Cracksman having followed a very different path to the traditional one after winning this race in 2017.

The other pattern race on the card was the Acomb Stakes, in which Valdermoro (up 13 lb to 105p) showed a willing attitude and plenty of class to put his head in front late on, with nothing else able to get close to the enterprisingly-ridden runner-up Harpocrates (up 8 lb to 104).

The winner may yet prove capable of better, especially when the emphasis is even more on stamina, and a step up to Group 2 company in either the Champagne or the Royal Lodge is now on the cards.

Thursday

With Magical (remains on 125) supplemented to take on Enable (remains on 129), there was at least some competitive edge to Thursday's Yorkshire Oaks, and, though doing it readily and impressively, John Gosden's star filly was pushed into a bigger performance on the day through the presence of that old rival, who she's now beaten into second three times in Group 1 races.

With a yawning 10 lengths back to the third, Enable looked at least at her recent best and may even be working her way back towards her peak rating of 134 which was obtained in the 2017 Arc. Beaten only once in her illustrious career, it goes without saying that Enable has a huge chance of making history this autumn by becoming the first ever triple winner of the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, and Gosden confirmed that she'll now head to Longchamp for a final swansong.

TEN GROUP 1 WINS FOR THE UNBEATEN SUPER MARE, ENABLE!!! 🙌

The John Gosden trained star wins on her UK swansong, taking the @DarleyStallions Yorkshire Oaks in supreme style under Frankie Dettori#ClassicEbor pic.twitter.com/csHt9ErGOW

— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 22, 2019

It didn't look the strongest renewal of the Lowther to kick off the action on Ladies Day, but that shouldn't detract from what was a much-improved display from Living In The Past (up 8 lb to 107), who was full value for her defeat of Molecomb winner Liberty Beach (loses 'p' on 106), despite benefiting from a well-judged ride.

All speed on both pedigree and performance, she will prove best at sprint trips, while similar comments apply to the runner-up, who had no problem with the extra furlong, never nearer than the three quarters of a length she was beaten at the line.

The best juvenile performance of the meeting - and behind only Pinatubo in this division all season - came just 30 minutes later in the Premier Yearling Stakes, with Mums Tipple (124p from 84p) putting up a powerful front-running display to demolish his 20 rivals in a time more than 1.4 seconds faster than that achieved by Living In The Past in the Lowther.

11 lengths clear of his nearest pursuer at the line, Mums Tipple posted a Group 1 calibre performance and the Mill Reef and/or Middle Park are pattern-race options at six furlongs, whilst he'll have no trouble staying seven furlongs should connections decide to step him up (entered in the Champagne Stakes and Dewhurst).

Mums Tipple in a different league as he scorches to Goffs UK Premier Yearling Stakes win at @yorkracecourse

Watch LIVE
📺 @ITV
📱 https://t.co/Gic4fP8tJm#ITVRacing pic.twitter.com/8rRkri1QRK

— ITV Racing (@itvracing) August 22, 2019

Friday

The Nunthorpe witnessed another performance that will live long in the memory, with Battaash (up 3 lb to 136) banishing the memory of a couple of disappointing efforts in the race with a scintillating display of speed, lowering Dayjur's long-standing course record and running to the sort of figure rarely achieved by a five-furlong horse, the result in no doubt once he tanked to the front two out.

We know that he doesn't always produce performances of this level, no Enable or Stradavarius on that score, but in no way should that be held against him when assessing his position amongst the best five-furlong performers of recent memory, with the prospect of him lining up at the Breeders' Cup later this season one to savour.

The three-year-olds Soldier's Call (up 2 lb to 119) and So Perfect (up 5 lb to 115) both produced career-best efforts to complete the frame, while dropping back to the minimum trip was more than favourite Ten Sovereigns (remains on 129) could cope with, never looking comfortable faced with a such a test of speed; he is well worth another chance to confirm his Newmarket form back at six furlongs.

😲🚀

Wow! A breathtaking performance from Battaash to land the @coolmorestud Nunthorpe Stakes at @yorkracecourse #ClassicEbor

Group 1 sprints are NOT meant to be won like this

Dayjur's long-standing track record is broken!@cbhills @ShadwellStud pic.twitter.com/K5rZ4AkJct

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) August 23, 2019

Another marquee performance during a memorable week came in the Lonsdale Cup, with the aforementioned Stradivarius (down 1 lb to 127) bagging the second million-pound bonus of his career as he extended his remarkable winning sequence to nine, not needing to reveal anything new but again showing all the qualities that have made him so hard to beat, always going best and affording his rider the luxury of choosing exactly where and when to make his challenge.

Opposing him has been the ultimate exercise in futility in recent seasons and there's no reason to think that situation will change, while runner-up Dee Ex Bee (remains on 125) and third Il Paradiso (up 11 lb to 120) should both find easier opportunities at this sort of level when Stradivarius is not amongst the opposition, with the latter likely to come into consideration for the St Leger on the back of this much-improved display.

Meanwhile, the premier two-year-old race of the meeting - the Gimcrack - went the way of Threat (up 4 lb to 114p), who was the clear form pick after big efforts at Ascot and Goodwood and probably improved a bit more to land the pattern-race win his record merited, asserting in the closing stages to beat Lord of The Lodge (up 12 lb to 109) by a length and a quarter.

He's going to be suited by seven furlongs on this evidence and deserves his chance in a Group 1 next, though Mums Tipple has supplanted him as the best juvenile trained by Richard Hannon, who is unsurprisingly keen to keep them apart between now and the end of the season.

Saturday

The first £1 million handicap in Britain was, in truth, a pretty similar race to most recent renewals of the Ebor, though predictably it attracted a few more noted for plying their trade at pattern level, potential improvers typically thin on the ground due to the fact that most have done their progressing already, a BHA rating of 106 required to guarantee a run this time round.

The winner Mustajeer (up 5 lb to 119) had probably had this race as his target all year after finishing fourth from the same mark in 2018, and he was duly produced spot on to beat Red Galileo (up 2 lb to 119) in a rather bunched finish, with only three lengths covering the first six past the post in a race where the emphasis was more on speed than stamina, the underfoot conditions and middling gallop both playing their part in that.

The winner is now set to transfer to Australia with a crack at the Melbourne Cup in mind, while one horse who can have his effort marked up somewhat is the fourth Raymond Tusk (up 1 lb to 120); he ran as well as he ever has on handicap debut and was arguably a bit unlucky not to have finished closer still, having met traffic when trying to pick his way through from rear in the straight.

An Irish winner of the £1 million @SkyBet Ebor, as MUSTAJEER claims victory for Ger Lyons and Colin Keane 🍀💰 pic.twitter.com/vJaAwzcezL

— York Racecourse (@yorkracecourse) August 24, 2019

The short-priced favourite Wissahickon (down 2 lb to 122) flopped in the Strensall Stakes, but it still rates as an above-average renewal, Zaaki (remains on 120) a solid operator at this level who appeared to have a bit in hand in beating the improved three-year-old Bangkok (up 3 lb to 119) by a neck.

There is no reason why Zaaki shouldn't continue to give a good account, with his narrow defeat at Ascot earlier in the year suggesting that he has the capacity to score at a higher level, while Wissahickon is well worth another chance, with his earlier form - on both turf and the all-weather - having plenty of substance to it.

Finally, the City of York Stakes had been upgraded to Group 2 status since last year, and with a three-year-old and the penalised favourite pulling clear in a fast time, the form looks well up to standard for a race at this level.

The winner Shine So Bright (up 5 lb to 121) proved better than ever four months on from a barely-staying sixth in the Guineas, a very smart performer now and with hope of more progress to come given the strides he's made already this season, ready for a step back up to Group 1 company next, with the Foret the obvious option.

Andrew Balding's charge could face a rematch in the Foret with Laurens (up 3 lb to 123), who narrowly failed to justify favouritism but proved at least as good as ever in form terms under her Group-1 penalty. She won the Matron and the Sun Chariot last year and is likely to be the one to beat in both once again if connections opt to go back up in trip instead of heading to France.