DUBAI PRINCE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL

I didn't think I'd be as impressed by a Derby prospect as much as French Navy until I saw DUBAI PRICE (38) romp the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown.

This handsome Dermot Weld inmate chased a fast pace then actually quickened to clock a remarkably fast time.

They got to the three furlong marker in the Killavullan Stakes a second sooner than they did in the decent juvenile fillies race earlier on the card. Then they covered the final three furlongs another second quicker. This means that Dubai Prince is definitely a full two seconds quicker than the fillies over seven furlongs - and that suggests he's proper Group 1 class.

I was really impressed with the way Dubai Prince repelled the challenge of subsequent Racing Post Trophy second Seville when scoring on his sole previous start at Gowran Park. But this run was a step beyond even that effort and marks him out as one of the most exciting prospects for next season.

Dermot Weld noted after the race that he might run Dubai Prince in the Criterium de Saint Cloud over ten furlongs. French Navy was also down for that race and I'd have thought Sheikh Mohammed would want to keep these two brilliant colts apart. But I note with interest that French Navy is also in the Criterium International this weekend, so it looks like the way is clear for Dubai Prince to win a Group 1 this season.

I should add that on this run it's pretty clear Dubai Prince would have won the Racing Post Trophy had he lined up at Doncaster. That's certainly what my ratings say.

I should also note that the seven furlongs Dubai Prince supposedly ran in the Killavullan Stakes at Leopardstown was about thirty three yards longer than the advertised distance by my estimates. From the middle of the car park, just after the start, they got home 2.8 seconds sooner than they did in the next fastest race on the card, a one mile maiden. But the times of the two races suggest the maidens actually got a bit closer to the Racing Post standard time. In fact they ran 1.9 seconds a mile slower when I adjust for the slightly longer distance they were going.

This highlights just how helpful it would be if Irish tracks adopted the same policy as British ones of measuring all distances accurately and reporting the effect of rail movements on them before each meeting. It would certainly make it a lot easier to produce speed ratings. At present you simply can't trust the advertised distances and have to resort to timing the sections of all races to gauge their relative merit on the clock.

DON'T WRITE OFF SIZING EUROPE - CHINA ROCK HAS IMPROVED

CHINA ROCK (41) clocked a seriously fast time to win at Gowran Park on his seasonal debut and ran even faster to beat Sizing Europe in a very good Grade 3 chase over 2m 7f at Punchestown last week. He set a strong pace and just kept on running. This was a Grade 1 performance on my speed ratings and marks him out as a candidate for a win at the top level.

It's hard not to notice that China Rock has run unplaced all three times he's gone left handed over fences but won three out of four and finished second in a Grade 1 the four times he's run two and a half miles or more on right handed courses. He jumped right in one race too which is usually what you see with a horse that prefers to go that way around.

China Rock beat the very smart pair Coolcashin and Alpha Ridge into second place in his two previous chase wins on right handed tracks and ran a good second to the high class Kempes in the Champion Novice Chase in his sole loss.

Trainer Mouse Morris clearly believes the fast ground China Rock encountered at Punchestown favours China Rock as he said before Cheltenham "He's run well in some good races this season but being by Presenting, the ground is the key to him and he'll be a better horse on better ground."

Morris added after his seasonal debut “He has gotten stronger over the winter and I think he is a better horse now. He probably finds two and a half a bit sharp – he wants three miles." This run suggests Morris was spot on there too.

China Rock will have his next outing in either the Charlie Hall at Wetherby or the JNwine.com Champion Chase at Down Royal. I'm hoping he goes for the latter race as it's on a right-handed course.

Runner up SIZING EUROPE (39) ran a perfectly respectable race on his seasonal debut to finish second. His jockey says he gave a blow at the fourth last fence, and you can see from the video that thereafter he was fiddling his fences rather than jumping them boldly with room to spare as he was before.

I liked the fact that coming towards two out Sizing Europe rallied and was able to cut China Rock's lead from seven or eight lengths down to two or three. He kept on well from that point but it looks clear lack of fitness took its toll.

Sizing Europe doesn't like to make mistakes but I'd tag him as a safe rather than a careful jumper. He does slow up occasionally at a jump to ensure he gets over properly but he rarely loses ground. And there's nothing wrong with being safe when it comes to steeplechasing as I see it.

I can't see how anyone can say Sizing Europe doesn't stay three miles after this run. So I hope his connections stick with the plan and go for the JNwine.com chase followed by the King George. I like his chances in both races.

LOOSEN MY LOAD A VERY SMART NOVICE CHASER

LOOSEN MY LOAD (38) looked rather reminiscent of his stablemate Sizing Europe as he jumped boldly at a good pace to win a Grade 3 novice chase comfortably at Punchestown in fast time.

Like Sizing Europe, Loosen My Load is big-bodied and built for three miles. He'll surely improve when he runs longer distances but is going to be hard to beat over any trip as long as he gets his favoured fast ground.

EXODUS LOOKS A DERBY CANDIDATE

EXODUS (36) made all the running to streak away with a Navan maiden by no less than nine lengths last week.

Early in the straight Exodus started running green. His ears went back and forth and he clearly wasn't focused on racing. But jockey Jamie Heffernan got after him, clearly aiming to teach him something about racing, and the effect was tremendous. Exodus accelerated dramatically to cover the last three furlongs 1.8 seconds faster than they did in the following handicap and simply ran away from his rivals.

When I adjust my speed rating to take account of the way he finished it suggests Exodus is every bit as good as Maxios, the likely top French contender for next month's Criterium de Saint-Cloud. Exodus will undoubtedly appreciate the extra quarter mile he'll face there and looks a solid Derby candidate on this run.