Ratings Update: Goodwood reaction

The Sussex Stakes, often the highlight of Glorious Goodwood, lost some of its lustre when St James's Palace Stakes winner Rosallion was ruled out on account of a respiratory infection, but there were still a couple of talented three-year-olds on show as Royal Ascot runner-up Henry Longfellow and 2000 Guineas winner Notable Speech were among the five-runner field.

Henry Longfellow (remains 123) was sent off a short-price favourite, but he failed to fire after he was hassled in the lead and ultimately faded into fourth. Even at his best he probably would have had to settle for second, however, as Notable Speech (remains 125) put his Royal Ascot disappointment behind him and confirmed the big impression he'd created in the 2000 Guineas. As has been the case throughout his career when on-song, Notable Speech really impressed with the fine turn of foot he produced to sweep into the lead and he readily assumed control. There's very little between Notable Speech and Rosallion (126) on Timeform ratings and a third clash between them this season would be a race to savour.

There was another impressive performance by a three-year-old miler posted by Lead Artist (119p from 107) in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Stakes. Lead Artist had been a beaten favourite in the listed Sir Henry Cecil Stakes at Newmarket last month but he got firmly back on the up at Goodwood on Friday, producing a really taking effort that is bordering on very smart form (120 is the benchmark for that level on Timeform's scale).

Lead Artist set a strong gallop but he was still able to find a decisive turn of foot and was in control throughout the final couple of furlongs, despite being closed down late on. He holds some entries at Group 2 level and will be well worth his place in such company as he has already run to a level that would have been good enough to win the last three editions of the Celebration Mile. On ratings he's already not far behind the pick of the older milers, such as Charyn (123) and Quddwah (122p).

Audience (122 from 119) is another very smart performer rated 122 following his comprehensive success in the Lennox Stakes on the opening day of the meeting. He had to carry a 5 lb penalty for his win in the Group 1 Lockinge Stakes over a mile earlier in the season but he seemed to benefit from the drop back to seven furlongs and went with bags of enthusiasm before readily quickening four lengths clear. He was at a tactical advantage in a prominent position here, but it was still impressive how quickly he put the race to bed.

On the same afternoon, Kyprios (remains 128) made the most of a straightforward opportunity to complete the same Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup double he had achieved in 2022. He had a clear edge on ratings going into the race and didn't need to run up to his best to score by four lengths.

A couple of days later Kyprios' stablemate Jan Brueghel (116p from 112p) enhanced his reputation as a potential star stayer with a hard-fought success in the Gordon Stakes.

Jan Brueghel, a brother to Irish Derby winner Sovereign and Queen Alexandra Stakes winner Dawn Rising among others, had looked a strong stayer when winning a maiden and a Group 3 over a mile and a quarter at the Curragh and he duly relished the extra couple of furlongs on offer at Goodwood. He was shaken up to close the gap on the leader over half a mile out in a well-run race but, despite still looking raw at times, he stuck to his task admirably and found extra to fend off a persistent challenge from Bellum Justum who had been a good third in the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot on his previous outing.

It's worth remembering that Jan Brueghel was conceding 3 lb to each of his rivals and a rating of 116p doesn't leave him loads to find with standard-setting stablemate Los Angeles (120p) in the St Leger, particularly with the step up to an extended mile and three-quarters promising to bring about further improvement.

In the following race on Thursday's card, Opera Singer (118p from 114) showed improved form to land the Nassau Stakes. A dominant five-length win in the Prix Marcel Boussac earned Opera Singer the title of highest-rated juvenile filly of 2023 and she is now the highest-rated three-year-old filly following her game success in the Nassau.

An interrupted preparation perhaps counted against Opera Singer when only third in the Irish 1000 Guineas on her return but she built on that to finish runner-up to subsequent Falmouth Stakes winner Porta Fortuna in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot - matching the level she had shown as a juvenile - and she progressed again at Goodwood last week to fend off the much-improved See The Fire (115 from 107) by a neck.

Opera Singer, making her first start at a mile and a quarter, did well to sustain the tempo after being sent on a long way from home and the style of that success offers hope that she will stay a mile and a half. She now heads Fallen Angel (117) and Porta Fortuna (116) in the three-year-old fillies' division and her run-by-run improvement this year suggests there could be more to come. Stablemate City of Troy (127p) is the highest-rated three-year-old colt.

In the sprint division, Big Evs (122 from 120) reversed form with Royal Ascot conqueror Asfoora (123 from 122) in the King George , though it was the Australian sprinter in second who arguably emerged with the greatest boost to her reputation given she was carrying a 5 lb penalty.

Big Evs is blessed with dazzling speed and last year's Molecomb Stakes winner again showed his effectiveness over Goodwood's downhill five furlongs, impressing with how well he travelled before digging in to cling on by a short-head. That earned him a rating of 122 which equals the highest figure achieved by an active sprinter trained in Britain or Ireland (Bradsell and Mill Stream are also rated 122).

King's Stand winner Asfoora was only just denied over the sharper five furlongs at Goodwood where she got going a fraction too late, but her effort under a 5 lb penalty marks her out as the one to beat in the Nunthorpe. She won't have a penalty at York and, as things stand, is 4 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings for that division-defining sprint.

There wasn't much to split the two-year-old Group winners at Goodwood last week in terms of performance as Vintage Stakes winner Aomori City (105 from 96) and Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza (104p from 88p) ran to a similar level as Molecomb Stakes winner Big Mojo (104p from 78p), who represents the same connections as Big Evs.

However, Big Mojo's success was arguably the most eye-catching as he went into the Molecomb as a maiden after finishing a promising runner-up on debut at Beverley. Big Mojo showed marked improvement to cope with the step up in class to Group 3 company, impressing with how he travelled through the race and winning despite still understandably looking green in front. His rating is slightly lower than that of a typical Molecomb winner in the last ten years, though he ran to a similar level as Big Evs who progressed to make his mark at a higher level and he too has the potential to carry on improving (still has the Timeform 'p').

The highest-rated colt in the juvenile division so far this season is Railway Stakes winner Henri Matisse (110p).