Timeform's Joe Rendall looks at the movers and shakers in terms of ratings on an action-packed weekend.
With the short-priced favourite Australia and the well-backed Geoffrey Chaucer to call on, it seems likely that Coolmore will dominate the headlines at Epsom in a fortnight’s time. However, Juddmonte and relative newcomers Qatar Racing had their moment in the limelight this weekend as Kingman and Noble Mission struck a blow for the former, while Hot Streak was an impressive winner of the Temple Stakes for the latter, leaving both sets of connections dreaming of Royal Ascot glory.
For all that the withdrawal of Sole Power meant that the Temple Stakes won’t be the deepest race in the Champions Sprint Series, it still signified several watershed moments. Not only was it Oisin Murphy’s first win at Group level but, perhaps more surprisingly, it was also the first time that the colours of Qatar Racing, sponsors of the QIPCO British Champions Series, were carried to victory, and they look to have a top prospect on their hands with Hot Streak.
Many three-year-old sprinters have struggled against their elders, but Hot Streak looks set to reach the peak of the sprinting ranks, his master rating now 127p following Saturday’s impressive success, a figure which puts him as the second-highest-rated three-year-old in training (Kingman is top on 129p). Hot Streak ran to a figure of 122 in winning the Temple Stakes but it all looked so easy for Kevin Ryan’s charge, who was in control from a long way out as he quickened clear in the penultimate furlong, and he is worth rating higher than the bare form. Despite Hot Streak’s best performances to date coming on soft ground, given his exceptional speed it’s probably a case of the sharper the test the better for him now, and a faster surface will hold no fears. Hot Streak’s outstanding performance at Ascot in the Cornwallis Stakes last year should stand him in good stead with the King’s Stand in mind and he will head to Royal Ascot as a worthy favourite.
The lightly-raced-but-talented Pearl Secret made it a 1-2 for Qatar Racing as he followed Hot Streak home at Haydock. Despite being two years the winner’s senior, Pearl Secret has only had one more race than Hot Streak, and he passed a significant test in putting a disappointing display in the Palace House Stakes behind him as he produced a career-best effort, seeing his rating rise to 124. He put in a mighty effort to finish third in the King’s Stand on his only start last year, but you feel that he will struggle to reverse the form with Hot Streak.
Elsewhere on the card, Joyeuse looked all the better for reverting to sprinting after a failed attempt to try and mould her into a miler. For all that she benefited from sitting off a strong gallop she was full value for the winning margin of one and a quarter lengths and is now rated 113; she looks capable of making an impact in the fillies’ sprinting programme this season, especially with some cut in the ground.
Sole Power may have bypassed the Temple Stakes on account of the unsuitably-testing conditions but stable companion Slade Power had no problems with the soft ground as he enhanced his Royal Ascot claims with a decisive success in the Group 3 Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh. The manner in which Slade Power disposed of a proven Group 1 performer in Maarek was extremely impressive, and it represented a career-best effort for Eddie Lynam’s sprinter. Now rated 129, C&D winner Slade Power will head to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner with outstanding claims.
Kingman (129p) made light of any ground concerns – trainer John Gosden had walked the course prior to giving his consent to run – as he registered a five-length win in the Irish 2000 Guineas, in the process becoming the first 2000 Guineas runner-up since Barathea in 1991 to gain compensation in the Irish equivalent. Kingman was suited by the steady gallop, which allowed him to utilise his explosive turn of foot, but there is little doubt that he put up a high-class performance, as good a winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas as there has been in recent times, and he fully deserves his status as Timeform’s highest-rated three-year-old. A mouth-watering rematch with his Newmarket conqueror, Night of Thunder, in the St. James’s Palace Stakes is next on the agenda.
Also on the Curragh Saturday card, it is worth noting the performance of Qatar Racing’s 1,000,000gns purchase Purr Along as she showed an impressive turn of foot to come from last to win cosily in the Lanwades Stud Stakes. Now rated 114, significant improvement will be required to figure in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, her next reported target, but following this performance she deserves her place in the line-up.
Sunday saw some more noteworthy performances in Ireland, not least from Tattersalls Gold Cup winner Noble Mission who registered a first Group 1 success for both himself and trainer Lady Cecil. Noble Mission has benefited from the adoption of front-running tactics this season, the signs of temperament that had hitherto hindered his progress seeming a thing of the past as he once again made all under an aggressive ride. Sectional times confirm that Noble Mission did indeed go ‘too fast’, but in doing so he ensured the demise of chief market rival Magician, and it offers a valid explanation as to why the patiently-ridden Euphrasia (seen to maximum effect and now rated 112?) finished less than two lengths away in third. Strictly in terms of bare form, Noble Mission didn't have to run right up to his best to win the Tattersalls Gold Cup, but, due to the aforementioned aggressive ride causing him to tire late on, he is worth marking up as better than the bare result, and his master rating now stands at 125 (the same as Magician, who has been pulled down from 128), with any questions over the strength of his previous wins this season now surely answered after this third decisive victory. Whilst he is in the form of his life of present, more competitive races (he holds entries for the Eclipse and the Hardwicke Stakes) on quicker ground will provide a much sterner examination.
Perhaps the biggest clue from the weekend’s action to the upcoming Derby meeting came from Marvellous, who rightly took the plaudits in what was a competitive, if not vintage, renewal of the Irish 1,000 Guineas. Taking a huge step-up on what she’d shown in her two career starts thus far, her victory earned her a new master rating of 118p. A sound pace in testing conditions placed the emphasis firmly on stamina and that suited Marvellous who stayed on strongly and was well on top at the line despite showing signs of greenness in the closing stages; given her pedigree (by Galileo out of a sister to Giant's Causeway) she remains open to significant improvement, especially when stepped-up in trip. It really was a very taking performance – one that was backed up by the sectional times– and it would be no surprise if she were to vie for favouritism in the Oaks in a fortnight’s time.
Longchamp hosted the other top-class action of the day, a somewhat unexpected clash between Cirrus Des Aigles (130) and Olympic Glory (132), two of Timeform’s top-five-highest-rated horses in training, the undoubted highlight. Olympic Glory, who was turned out quickly after his impressive Lockinge win, underperformed at his first try beyond a mile, however, which paved the way for a comfortable Cirrus Des Aigles success, and it would be no surprise to see Olympic Glory revert back to a mile next time. Ascot is reportedly under consideration but with the same connections’ Toronado likely to return in the Queen Anne it is unclear where Olympic Glory will next run.
With his chief market rival underperforming, it’s fair to say Cirrus des Aigles didn’t have to be at his best to land the Prix d’Ispahan, and he won comfortably in the end. Connections will be bullish about a possible rematch with Treve (134) in the Prince of Wales’s Stakes next, and, given that he’s shown he retains plenty of ability this seasoon, he’s entitled to take his chance. That said, you feel that a fully-fit Treve on a sound surface will turn the tables with ease.
The other Group 1 contest went to the unbeaten We Are, now rated 115p, who took a significant step up in class in her stride, winning fairly comfortably under Thierry Jarnet. This year’s crop of French three-year-old fillies looks a particularly strong one but she will go to the Prix Diane with leading claims.
Despite there not being many classic clues on offer it was nevertheless an action-packed weekend, and an especially pleasing one for Juddmonte (2013 Ribblesdale winner Riposte also earned a rating of 115 for her first victory in America). With the Oaks picture now looking significantly more competitive and Royal Ascot potentially featuring the top-rated horses at two (The Great War, 106P), three (Kingman, 129p) and four (Treve, 134), the next month looks to be a hugely exciting one.
