Ratings Update: Craven meeting reaction

Field of Gold (121p from 110p) propelled himself to the head of Timeform's three-year-old ratings with an impressive victory in the Craven Stakes at Newmarket that marks him out as the one to beat in the 2000 Guineas. Field Of Gold earned a Timeform rating of 121p, narrowly passing the benchmark set by Shadow Of Light who was Timeform's champion juvenile last season with a rating of 120.

Field Of Gold, winner of the Solario Stakes at two, had ended his juvenile campaign with a rating of 110p but showed much-improved form on his reappearance in the Craven to comfortably quicken three and a half lengths clear of Royal Lodge winner Wimbledon Hawkeye.

The only Craven winners who have been rated higher after the race in the last decade are Native Trail (122p) and Masar (123) who both went on to finish placed in the 2000 Guineas. Field Of Gold's victory continues a fine spring for owners Juddmonte who have also been successful with talented colts Cosmic Year (111P) and Jonquil (112p), and landed the Nell Gwyn at Newmarket with improving filly Zanzoun (104p from 84p).

It had taken Zanzoun three attempts to get off the mark as a juvenile and the form of her, admittedly impressive, maiden win at Southwell was only ordinary. However, Zanzoun showed she had clearly progressed well over the winter by quickening up for a stylish success in the Nell Gwyn. She advanced her form significantly, though Duty First (109) ran to a higher level when winning the Fred Darling.

More Thunder an unexposed sprinter

The Craven meeting kicked off with a six-furlong handicap that was won in promising style by More Thunder (104p from 93p) who was having his first go at sprinting. More Thunder had been campaigned at around a mile and a quarter by Sir Michael Stoute last season, but he's out of the listed-winning sprinter Buying Trouble and was dropped markedly in trip on his first start for William Haggas.

A well-run six-furlong handicap, against useful sorts who have spent their careers competing as sprinters, would have provided a significantly different test for More Thunder, but it was one he relished. More Thunder travelled fluently under a patient ride, made headway inside the final couple of furlongs to lead 100 yards out and was well on top by the line, scoring by a length and three-quarters.

That performance represented a significant improvement on his previous efforts and, still completely unexposed as a sprinter, it would be little surprise were he to progress beyond handicaps. More is required as, for context, the winner of the Group 2 Abernant Stakes on Wednesday, Sajir, earned a rating of 115, but More Thunder is a smart prospect.

Andrew Balding has made a flying start to the season and he didn't have to wait long to send out his first winner of the 2025 Craven meeting as Almeric (112p from 93p) won the second race on Tuesday, the listed Feilden Stakes. Almeric boasts a superb middle-distance pedigree - his granddam is the dual Champion Stakes winner Alborada - and he has clearly inherited plenty of ability based on his performance in the Feilden.

Almeric had made an encouraging start to his career during a very light juvenile campaign, getting off the mark in a York maiden on his second start, but he took a big step forward on his reappearance to successfully take the leap to listed level. A well-run race on rain-softened ground ensured the nine-furlong contest was a thorough test at the trip and that emphasis on stamina seemed to suit Almeric who stuck to his task well to score by a length, with the runner-up seven and a half lengths clear of the third. Almeric ran to a similar level as last year's winner, Jayarebe, who went on to win the Group 3 Hampton Court Stakes and the Group 2 Prix Dollar, and he still has the 'small p' to show he's expected to improve further, especially when stepping up in trip again.

For context, Delacroix was also given a Timeform performance rating of 112 for his victory in the Ballysax Stakes at Leopardstown, though that one ran to a slightly higher level when runner-up in the Futurity Trophy last season.

Treasure Fleet extends unbeaten record

Another performance of note on the opening day was delivered by Treasure Fleet (102p from 86p) in the concluding mile-and-a-quarter handicap for three-year-olds. It's often a strong race and, although this year's edition lacked depth, there's plenty to like about the pair who fought out the finish. Treasure Fleet and The Trickster both arrived with unbeaten records and in search of the hat-trick, but it was the former who ultimately prevailed by a length and a half after a good battle through the final couple of furlongs.

Treasure Fleet's two previous victories had come in steadily run novices at Wolverhampton which hadn't allowed him to show anything like the full extent of his ability, but the rain-softened ground at Newmarket ensured this was more of a test, for all the gallop was only modest. A stronger pace should enable the progressive and unexposed Treasure Fleet to step forward again.

Good horses have used the race as a stepping stone in the last decade, including subsequent Group 1 winners Old Persian and Kalpana. They produced similar performance ratings in this handicap, though both clearly improved markedly afterwards.

The Wood Ditton, which took place on Wednesday's card, has a rich history and has been used as a stepping stone by some talented horses in recent years, with Passenger landing the prize two seasons ago and Lead Artist finishing runner-up 12 months ago. This year's winner High Stock (91p) also looks like a useful prospect, impressing with how he moved into contention.

The final day of the meeting was a lower-key affair but Pellitory (102+ from 91) posted a useful and much-improved effort to land the seven-furlong conditions stakes. Pellitory had been held back by immaturity at times as a juvenile, though he was still largely progressive and had signed off for the campaign with a win in nursery company at Doncaster.

He looked to face a tough task on his return, meeting rivals who had run to a higher level at two, but he improved on previous efforts to beat the favourite Anno Domini by half a length. There was a muddling pace and those that raced towards the far side - as Pellitory did - seemed at an advantage, but it's worth taking the winner's performance at face value for now as his tall physique offers an obvious reason why he may have done particularly well over the winter.

There were also improved performances from King Casper (97 from 78+), who was an impressive winner on his handicap debut, and Bullet Point (105 from 99), who picked up where he left off and completed his hat-trick in the style of one to have on side in top-end handicaps.