Ratings Update: Reaction to the weekend's key performances

Both of Newbury’s traditional Guineas trials featured disappointing efforts from the favourites but were also won with much-improved performances which entitles the respective winners to take their chances at Newmarket.

Several of the market leaders disappointed in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Fred Darling) but 33/1 winner Duty First (109 from 92) produced the best performance seen in the race for at least a decade. Placed on soft ground in the Prestige Stakes and Rockfel Stakes on her last two starts last year, Duty First found considerable improvement under less testing conditions to run out a clear-cut winner by three and a quarter lengths from another long shot Hey Boo (103 from 86p).

Duty First’s effort was backed up by a good timefigure, her time just under half a second quicker than the Greenham winner. Entered at the Curragh but not at Newmarket, Duty Free would be well worth supplementing for the 1000 Guineas on this showing for all that her pedigree is essentially that of a sprinter.

The colts in the more steadily-run Greenham Stakes raced in two distinct groups and it was those nearer the stands side who dominated, with the twice-raced Jonquil (112p from 86p) showing plenty of improvement to get the better of Coventry Stakes winner Rashabar (remains 111), who set the standard with his Group 1 placings in France last year, by a length and a half with a bit in hand.

Having his first start for Andrew Balding following the retirement of Sir Michael Stoute who trained him at two, Jonquil looked a different proposition to when tried in listed company on his final outing last season. From the family of Frankel who followed up his Greenham win in spectacular fashion at Newmarket, Jonquil is surely entitled to go for the 2000 Guineas himself given he’ll stay a mile and is likely to progress further.

Saracen (101p from 90p) in third was pick of the Greenham field on looks and he too showed much improved form, though was still green after just the one run beforehand and is one to be interested in.

Cosmic Year impresses again

Besides Jonquil, Juddmonte have another potential 2000 Guineas contender in Cosmic Year (111P from 105P) who has now won both his starts for Harry Charlton by wide margins after quickening clear for a five-length win in a novice at Kempton on his reappearance earlier in the week. He looks a Group 1 performer in the making but makes limited appeal at 7/1 for the 2000 Guineas given his lack of experience in what would be a much more competitive environment.

Back at Newbury on Saturday, Andrew Balding kicked off a four-timer on the card when the mare Divina Grace (108 from 104) showed improved form to win the race registered as the John Porter Stakes by a short head from Tabletalk (114 from 112) after battling well. Looking to have a fitness edge over some of her rivals, she was another winning on her first start for the yard (formerly with the now retired Rae Guest) and it’s not unreasonable to think Divina Grace could improve further, with plenty of options for mares in her bracket.

There were a couple of Group 3 contests at the Curragh, including the Park Express Stakes for fillies which was formerly run on the opening day of the Irish turf season. This went to four-year-old One Look (104 from 102) who belatedly opened her account at pattern level after showing a good attitude and may yet hit the heights that were expected of her last year.

St Leger winner Jan Brueghel (remains 120p) was odds on to keep his unbeaten record on his return in the Alleged Stakes but while he had the excuse of a barely sufficient test of stamina over a mile and a quarter, he looked difficult under pressure, carrying his head awkwardly and hanging right. He’s still worth another chance back at a more suitable trip. It remains to be seen, though, if winner Galen (114 from 111) can back up his improved effort given that he was fit from a stint in Dubai and was seen to maximum effect in first-time cheekpieces under an enterprising ride.

Scottish National card

Scenting another trainers’ championship in Britain after his exploits at Aintree the previous week, Willie Mullins had six runners in the Scottish Grand National and pulled off a one-two in a race run at a brisk pace which contributed to only eight finishers. Captain Cody (148 from 142), who’d unseated in the National Hunt Chase on his previous start, maintained the very good record of novices in the race, travelling strongly held up and then quickening in remarkable fashion on the run-in, without Harry Cobden resorting to the whip, to collar stablemate Klarc Kent (130 from 121+) by a length. Still a maiden over fences, the runner-up saw things out better than when fourth the year before and briefly looked the winner having kicked on two out.

There was a bunched finish to a typically competitive Scottish Champion Hurdle which had a Scottish winner with the dual Morebattle winner Cracking Rhapsody (138 from 135) going two places better than the year before from a 9 lb higher mark. He held on gamely for a neck win over reliable five-year-old Kabral du Mathan (remains 141), though the rallying Ooh Betty (133 from 130) was only a short head further back in third and would have been in front in a few more strides. Another mare, Dysart Enos (136 from 132) completed the frame a length away in fourth and she too showed a bit of improvement.

Elsewhere on the Ayr card there were smart performances over fences from Masaccio (148 from 146), who stayed on well to win the Novices’ Champion Handicap Chase over three miles, and from another novice, The Other Mozzie (144 from 136), who was better than ever beating older rivals back at two miles.