Timeform's Matt Gardner looks back at the weekend's action in the latest instalment of Handicappers' Corner...
What a difference a week can make. Having been scratching around at Sandown, Chester and Beverley seven days ago looking for some inspiration, this weekend we were treated to a relative glut of decent racing to get stuck into, with the obvious starting point being Haydock.
The Group 1 Sprint Cup is established as one of the highlights of the season, with last season's tussle between Dream Ahead, Bated Breath and Hoof It being an excellent example. The 2012 renewal went the way of Society Rock, his winning performance of 126 on a par with recent winners of this race and improving slightly on his previous best of 124, when winning the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot last year.
The fact that Bated Breath and Ortensia (the latter reportedly suffering and overreach) were both below their best does take something away from the race as a whole, but Society Rock is a proven Group 1 sprinter and can be expected to make a bold bid to follow this up, with the Champions Sprint at Ascot his most likely target.
Gordon Lord Byron (123) ran an excellent race in second, going close here on the back of his impressive listed win at York, whilst Dandy Boy (119) and Genki (111) both left the impression that they would have finished closer granted a stronger pace.
The other race of note at Haydock was the Old Borough Cup, although it was not the most competitive renewal of this valuable handicap with only a couple of three-year-old's present and the field short on progressive types in general.
Having said that, it was one of the improving three-year-old's that came out on top, as Sir Graham Wade improved his Timeform rating to 111 with a head defeat of Tropical Beat (106). The winner flopped on his previous outing in the Melrose at York, but other than that has done nothing but improve this year and is worth a go in a listed or minor pattern race.
It is worth taking a brief trip to Kempton, whose eight-race card featured a brace of Group 3's. The September Stakes was won by Dandino (119), who confirmed previous impressions that he was right back to his best with a one and a quarter length defeat of Sagramor. The Sirenia Stakes, over six furlongs for two-year-old's, had a fairly open look to it and several towards the head of the betting disappointed, but eventual winner Glass Office (108) was impressive, travelling smoothly before quickening clear. The suspicion is that he may prove difficult to place, with his record away from polytrack far from convincing.
The Irish Champion Stakes was the feature of Leopardstown's twilight card, and it was a case of quality not quantity as featuring among the six runners was Snow Fairy, Nathaniel and St Nicholas Abbey, and they finished in that order. Snow Fairy (128) put up an effort on a par with her best (recorded in this race last year), and broke the track record, as she became the first mare since Timarinda in 1996 to win this event, showing a good attitude to see off Nathaniel by one and a quarter lengths. Retirement reportedly beckons at the end of the year, but she could take in the Arc and the Breeders' Cup before then.
Nathaniel lost nothing in defeat and his master rating of 131 remains unchanged. Connections had made no secret of the fact that the Arc is his main target, and there is unlikely to be much between himself and Snow Fairy at Longchamp.
St Nicholas Abbey deserves credit for running another solid race just 17 days on from his exploits behind Frankel at York, and he stayed on without ever really looking like getting to the leaders. A tilt at the Arc, before a defence of his Breeders' Cup Turf crown, could now be on the cards.
Chachamaidee (120) was narrowly denied in the Matron Stakes by Duntle (117) before the places were reversed in the stewards' room, and Battle of Marengo (110p) and Big Break (93p) also recorded impressive wins.
Arguably the most taking performance seen on Sunday was that produced by Mince, as she demolished an up-to-standard field in the listed Garrowby Stakes at York. The three-year-old has improved in leaps this year, recording her fourth win in seven starts in 2012 here, and this effort would have seen her go very close in the Sprint Cup taking into account the allowances she would receive.
A return trip to Ireland is in order, as the Curragh played host to racing on Sunday. Famous Name (124) stood out on form in the Group 3 Solonoway Stakes, and he duly recorded his nineteenth success in pattern company with the minimum of fuss, once again demonstrating himself a credit to connections.
Up was able to follow up her win in a Group 3 last month with a win in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes, narrowly getting the better of Caponata on the line. This confirmed that the winner is in the form of her life, travelling strongly and making good headway to lead in the dying strides, and she is likely to remain competitive.
The feature at the Curragh on Sunday was the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, run over seven furlongs. This was an open-looking renewal and featured the biggest field since 2001, and it went the way of Sky Lantern, one of three supplementary entries, who became just the second British winner this century. The bare form would suggest that the winner produced a lesser effort than the previous two successors in this contest, but Sky Lantern was impressive in settling matters with a sharp turn of foot and she may now head to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Get open access to Timeform data for just 2.50 a day with Timeform Race Passes. It's like a Form Book, Black Book & Race Card all in one! Find Out More!
What a difference a week can make. Having been scratching around at Sandown, Chester and Beverley seven days ago looking for some inspiration, this weekend we were treated to a relative glut of decent racing to get stuck into, with the obvious starting point being Haydock.
The Group 1 Sprint Cup is established as one of the highlights of the season, with last season's tussle between Dream Ahead, Bated Breath and Hoof It being an excellent example. The 2012 renewal went the way of Society Rock, his winning performance of 126 on a par with recent winners of this race and improving slightly on his previous best of 124, when winning the Golden Jubilee at Royal Ascot last year.
The fact that Bated Breath and Ortensia (the latter reportedly suffering and overreach) were both below their best does take something away from the race as a whole, but Society Rock is a proven Group 1 sprinter and can be expected to make a bold bid to follow this up, with the Champions Sprint at Ascot his most likely target.
Gordon Lord Byron (123) ran an excellent race in second, going close here on the back of his impressive listed win at York, whilst Dandy Boy (119) and Genki (111) both left the impression that they would have finished closer granted a stronger pace.
The other race of note at Haydock was the Old Borough Cup, although it was not the most competitive renewal of this valuable handicap with only a couple of three-year-old's present and the field short on progressive types in general.
Having said that, it was one of the improving three-year-old's that came out on top, as Sir Graham Wade improved his Timeform rating to 111 with a head defeat of Tropical Beat (106). The winner flopped on his previous outing in the Melrose at York, but other than that has done nothing but improve this year and is worth a go in a listed or minor pattern race.
It is worth taking a brief trip to Kempton, whose eight-race card featured a brace of Group 3's. The September Stakes was won by Dandino (119), who confirmed previous impressions that he was right back to his best with a one and a quarter length defeat of Sagramor. The Sirenia Stakes, over six furlongs for two-year-old's, had a fairly open look to it and several towards the head of the betting disappointed, but eventual winner Glass Office (108) was impressive, travelling smoothly before quickening clear. The suspicion is that he may prove difficult to place, with his record away from polytrack far from convincing.
The Irish Champion Stakes was the feature of Leopardstown's twilight card, and it was a case of quality not quantity as featuring among the six runners was Snow Fairy, Nathaniel and St Nicholas Abbey, and they finished in that order. Snow Fairy (128) put up an effort on a par with her best (recorded in this race last year), and broke the track record, as she became the first mare since Timarinda in 1996 to win this event, showing a good attitude to see off Nathaniel by one and a quarter lengths. Retirement reportedly beckons at the end of the year, but she could take in the Arc and the Breeders' Cup before then.
Nathaniel lost nothing in defeat and his master rating of 131 remains unchanged. Connections had made no secret of the fact that the Arc is his main target, and there is unlikely to be much between himself and Snow Fairy at Longchamp.
St Nicholas Abbey deserves credit for running another solid race just 17 days on from his exploits behind Frankel at York, and he stayed on without ever really looking like getting to the leaders. A tilt at the Arc, before a defence of his Breeders' Cup Turf crown, could now be on the cards.
Chachamaidee (120) was narrowly denied in the Matron Stakes by Duntle (117) before the places were reversed in the stewards' room, and Battle of Marengo (110p) and Big Break (93p) also recorded impressive wins.
Arguably the most taking performance seen on Sunday was that produced by Mince, as she demolished an up-to-standard field in the listed Garrowby Stakes at York. The three-year-old has improved in leaps this year, recording her fourth win in seven starts in 2012 here, and this effort would have seen her go very close in the Sprint Cup taking into account the allowances she would receive.
A return trip to Ireland is in order, as the Curragh played host to racing on Sunday. Famous Name (124) stood out on form in the Group 3 Solonoway Stakes, and he duly recorded his nineteenth success in pattern company with the minimum of fuss, once again demonstrating himself a credit to connections.
Up was able to follow up her win in a Group 3 last month with a win in the Group 2 Blandford Stakes, narrowly getting the better of Caponata on the line. This confirmed that the winner is in the form of her life, travelling strongly and making good headway to lead in the dying strides, and she is likely to remain competitive.
The feature at the Curragh on Sunday was the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes, run over seven furlongs. This was an open-looking renewal and featured the biggest field since 2001, and it went the way of Sky Lantern, one of three supplementary entries, who became just the second British winner this century. The bare form would suggest that the winner produced a lesser effort than the previous two successors in this contest, but Sky Lantern was impressive in settling matters with a sharp turn of foot and she may now head to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.
Get open access to Timeform data for just 2.50 a day with Timeform Race Passes. It's like a Form Book, Black Book & Race Card all in one! Find Out More!
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