A - ZRunners Horse Racing Fixtures and Results

Ratings Update: Two-year-olds impress at Doncaster and in Ireland

John Ingles provides the Timeform ratings reaction to some smart two-year-old performances on both sides of the Irish Sea.

It had taken a while this season for any two-year-olds to make a big impression but that all changed in a matter of days with several performances of note from next year’s classic crop – maybe even classic winners - both at Doncaster and at the Irish Champions Festival.

Starting at Doncaster, Charlie Appleby was represented by Godolphin youngsters with the Timeform ‘large P’ on their ratings in both the May Hill Stakes and the Champagne Stakes and both duly showed plenty of improvement in keeping their unbeaten records.

Musical Times (114p from 95P) was sent off the 7/4 favourite for the May Hill Stakes having won her novices at Newmarket and Yarmouth in the summer in the manner of a very promising filly and, stepping up to a mile, produced a breathtaking performance in the Group 2 contest, the best seen in the race for many years. Making smooth headway from mid-division, her turn of foot took her to the front under two furlongs out before she stormed clear to win by seven and a half lengths, the widest winning margin in the race this century, the visual display backed up by the clock.