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The fastest recent time was put up by Royal Millennium (40) when he edged out Somnus in the Chipchase stakes at Newcastle. He's doing better now that he's been switched to pattern races from handicaps, as many sprinters have before him. There are just way too many fast horses around in the top sprint handicaps. There are fewer in Listed and Group sprints, but there are enough who are faster than Royal Millennium for me not to nominate him as a horse worth following.

SOMNUS (39) has run a whole lot quicker in the past (45 speed rating in fact), and I suspect he'll be running a whole lot quicker in the future. Whenever I see a Group 1 winner like him in a lesser race I always remember James Quinn who wrote 'When you see a genuinely Group 1 horse in anything but a Group 1 race you should expect it to run well and lose'. In other words Group 1 horses use lesser races as preps.

Prior to this start, Somnus had won five of the six times he'd run beyond the minimum distance on good or softer ground. He seems to be a stuffy horse who needs a run or two so I'd expect him to improve significantly for this run. If by some miracle it came up soft for the July Cup I'd be wary of opposing him. More realistically Somnus will have to wait till the Autumn to get his ground again. When he does I'd bet on him being tough to beat.

RUBY ROCKET (39) ran a chunky speed figure for a three year old filly to take a close third, and it's a damn shame there aren't enough pattern sprints restricted to three year olds for horses like her. She's so fast though that I'd bet on her connections finding some sort of black type race for her to win.

At a slightly lower level DIZZY IN THE HEAD (37) is another sprinter that's probably worth following. He beat Cape St Vincent (a horse I've written up here recently) into second place when winning at Warwick and looks to be an improved horse this year.

A ONE (37) looks one to note as well at longer distances. I just can't figure out why he has improved to win his last two races. But he has, and he's running quick enough to win again.

The Bibury Cup usually produces a decent three year old and it did so again when ALBINUS (36) won easing up. He beat the smart filly Selebelea into second, and that one has already earned pattern class times. Albinus put up a Listed class time here for a three year old. His only defeat so far in three tries at middle distances was a short head loss to the Group class Etmaam.

It looks likely that Albinus can run a bit quicker than he did here, so his next logical target would be something like the Group 3 Gordon stakes at Goodwood. He'd be an interesting contender in that contest, and if he stuck to handicap company I wouldn't oppose him, not even against older horses.

In the previous race on the same card ALQWAH (35) made a winning racecourse debut for Godolphin, beating the useful Red Top two lengths into second. Red Top had been beat only nine lengths despite meeting traffic in what I rated as the second fastest three year old fillies race of the season so far at Royal Ascot last time. Horses tend to improve at least three points on my ratings for their first start. If Alqwah did that it would put her within hailing distance of the best of her age and sex. She certainly looks capable of picking up a Listed race at least.

Another decent three year old performance was that put up by BURNING MOON (35) who beat older horses five lengths when stepped up to ten furlongs at Newcastle. His jockey said that Burning Moon felt like a different horse on the soft ground. This may well be significant for the future. If Burning Moon returns on a similar soft surface soon I'd be wary of opposing him in class C or lower. He could be anything.

Turning to the two year olds, we saw a decent performance from BECKERMET (33) at Chester when he scored by five lengths against a whole slew of previous winners. The only time Beckermet has been beaten in his last four starts was when he ran second to the unbeaten Pike Bishop. I've written up Pike Bishop in a previous weekly report, and he's looking better all the time. Beckermet ranks as Listed class on this run. Pike Bishop beat him comfortably, so he's probably Group class.

Over jumps COBBET (37) put up a decent time for the off season to win a two mile chase at Uttoxeter. He seems best at the minimum distance on fast ground. In fact, if he hadn't blundered at the last and run second once, he would probably have won five of the last six times he's run over two miles or two miles and a furlong on fast ground. He'll surely manage to pick up another race or two when he returns in October.

I spent a lot of last season whittering on about DOYEN (45). He kept banging out seriously good speed figures in France but only started getting much attention very late in the year. Now he's with Godolphin the situation is reversed. He's one of the most high profile horses in training and will be a warm order for the King George after his runaway success in record breaking time in the Hardwicke stakes.

I don't see much threat to Doyen from the ranks of the older horses. On fast ground I doubt that any of them could beat him at a mile and a half. But there are so many smart three year olds that have the scope to improve and have been hitting ratings over 40 that I'd be surprised if there aren't one or two that can at least run with Doyen if not beat him. That probably won't happen till after the King George. So, barring unseasonably soft ground at Ascot, it looks like Godolphin have the big race pretty much sewn up.

I hope that Godolphin resist the temptation to run Doyen in the Arc. That race is usually run on softer ground, and Doyen seems best on firm. In addition, it's a tough race and running in it would make it tough for Doyen to bounce back quickly for the Breeders' Cup Turf, should they decide to go that route.

Last summer, Doyen's put up his best performance of the year on the clock on a baking hot day at Lyon Parilly in a Listed race over a mile and a half on lightning fast ground. Lyon Parilly is a very tight, dead flat, nine furlong, left handed oval. The conditions Doyen met that day come pretty darned close to those he'll encounter on the 7.8 furlong, left-handed, dead flat oval of Lone Star Park's turf course on Breeders' Cup day where the going is certain to be lightning fast and the weather baking hot. With the US turf horses so weak, and with so many of the other Europeans likely to stay away due to the weather and ultra-tight track, Doyen would pretty much be gifted the Breeders' Cup should he take part. It's a far better target than the Arc, for which Papineau is surely the logical Godolphin candidate. Besides, Bago looks a pretty much unstoppable force right now. It seems futile to take him on in the Arc.

In the past I've taken a somewhat negative view about ATTRACTION (44). I confess that I have a prejudice about short priced horses that get masses of column inches written about them. But I have to revise my view after her terrific effort to extend her unbeaten record to eight wins in the Coronation stakes. She ran a serious Group 1 time and is going to continue to be a tough horse to beat at a mile.

It's tough to know what MAJESTIC DESERT (41) is going to win after running second to Attraction here. But she's so quick she'll surely be found something.

Third placed RED BLOOM (41) improved on her seasonal debut and may now step up to ten furlongs for the Nassau stakes. She's awfully smart and still has the potential to improve a bit more, given her terrific two year old form. She's had training troubles but is clearly improving with every run. I'd think twice about opposing her next time.

MOON DAZZLE (38) got beat six lengths into fourth but still ran a rating that suggests she can win in Group company.

PAPINEAU (40) didn't run that big a time when taking the Gold Cup. But we know he can hit a serious Group 1 speed rating from his fast win at Goodwood. That race showed that he's very useful at a mile and a half, so it's a logical step to cut back to twelve furlongs for the King George. On my ratings he'd have a decent shot of winning the races this year since Doyen, his stablemate, is the only entrant I have on a bigger rating.

It could well be that Papineau is a very good horse indeed. So far the only two races he's lost in seven runs were when he injured his knee in the Prix du Jockey Club and when he lost by a short head on his debut, having gone clear, raced green and eased himself up in front.

Runner up Westerner ran a good race and almost certainly would have run better if the ground hadn't been so firm. His trainer, Eli Lellouche, told Paris Turf before the race that he was concerned Westerner wouldn't run his best on the fast ground. The going allowances I base my speed figures on suggest he was right to be concerned. Since he stepped up in class and distance Wetserner has run five times on going that I rate as good to firm or firmer and lost every time. He's run four times on good or softer and won every time. On softer ground I wouldn't care to oppose Westerner in long distance races. At a mile and a half though my speed figures say he'd struggle against the best horses, whatever the ground.

Punctillious (38) won the Ribblesdale stakes in the sort of time you'd expect of a Group 2 filly. She'll need to improve a bit to win at Group 1 level. It's possible, but with so many good three year old fillies around I think she's going to have her work cut out from now on.

Mark Johnston has a nice three year old on his hands in CARTE DIAMOND (37) who romped a maiden on his racecourse debut at Redcar. He's likely to get a horribly big official handicap rating since he beat an 83 rated horse five lengths into second and finished more than 25 lengths in front of the third. That shouldn't matter because my ratings indicate Carte Diamond is probably pattern class. I wouldn't care to oppose him outside of Group class next time out.

Another useful three year old is COLOUR WHEEL (37) who lost by a short head to the smart older horse Ettrick Water at Newmarket. In doing so he seemed to prove that seven furlongs is his best distance, and that he is improving. He's going to have to race against older horses most of the time now, but he's quick enough to do well.

Also at Newmarket, we saw a decent performance from WILLHEWIZ (38) who earned a decent speed figure to take a classified stakes.

If he were mine, I'd ship Willhewiz over to France for the big Deauville meeting which begins next month. Willhewhiz would have a serious chance of winning pattern sprints like the Prix du Ris-Orangis, Prix du Cercle or Prix de Meautry. I say this because Willhewiz is tough to beat when allowed to dominate from the front in a small field on fast ground. French sprints invariably feature small fields and a much slower pace than the British variety. This is why old speedball Repertory did so well in them over the years. He was able to get away from his field while setting a slower pace than he could have gotten away with in Britain.

Willhewhiz has now won six of the lasts seven times he's run in a single figure field on fast ground, with the sole loss coming in first time blinkers which probably prompted him to go off too fast. In big fields of handicappers in Britain he's likely to struggle. But at Deauville he would have a big chance of winning a Group race at long odds.

DOROTHY'S FRIEND (36) earned a good speed figure for a class D handicap when winning over and extended mile and three quarters at Newmarket. He always seems to need his seasonal debut but has won all four times he's raced at 12 furlongs plus thereafter. It's tough to say how good he is, but it seems likely he can progress further. He's in the Northumberland Plate, and a win for him there or at least a place is by no means impossible.

The St James' Palace stakes looks like developing into a serious key race - one out of which several future big race winners will emerge. AZAMOUR (44) ran a seriously big international Group 1 class time to win it. It looks like he's going to be running over ten furlongs in future and he looks built and bred to excel over that distance. He's fast enough to beat the best older runners (only Rakti has run a tick quicker). All he's really got to do therefore is avoid Bago (who I think it's best to regard as unbeatable). He looks set to do just that because the Juddmonte International and Irish Champion stakes are apparently his next two targets.

Runner up DIAMOND GREEN (44) validated his lofty reputation by running a neck second.

After Diamond Green had met interference and lost the Poule d'Essai des Poulins, Roland de Longevialle (the owner's racing manager) told Paris Turf: "Gary Stevens was emphatic that he would have won without the incident and the severe interference caused by Antonius Pius who struck the rail right in front of him. It is a pity naturally, but it reassures us after his third place in the Prix de Fontainebleau that we have found our 'green diamond' and he has not said his last word at the top level." Gary Stevens (who rode Diamond Green) said in the same paper: "This is a true Group 1 horse and I can assure you that, without his misfortunes, he would be unbeaten." Stevens was referring to the fact that Diamond Green had also met interference, again from Antonius Pius, when losing unluckily on his seasonal debut.

Diamond Green proved Stevens right by holding his old nemesis Anotnius Pius back in third despite being impeded in the early stages.

With his late-running style, Diamond Green is always going to be run the risk of meeting interference. But he seems to be getting better at avoiding it with every run, or maybe his rider is understanding him more. In any event, with Azamour stepping up in trip, Diamond Green seems to have the mile championship at his mercy. The QEII in particular seems to have his name written all over it. After that the Breeders' Cup Mile looks a tempting target since Diamond Green has proven that he can win off the kind of slow early pace that he'll encounter in that contest.

ANTONIUS PIUS (43) ran a chunky speed figure back in third. O'Brien mooted the idea of cutting him back to six furlongs for the July Cup afterwards and I find that an appealing idea. The top sprinters are a moderate bunch this year, as was demonstrated by the ho hum time The Tatling ran when taking the King's Stand stakes earlier on the card, and Antonius Pius could beat them. On the other hand, if he sticks to a mile or goes up to ten furlongs he's likely to bump up against one or two faster horses in Group 1 company.

HAAFHD (43) improved on his 2000 Guineas form to earn a seriously good Group 1 rating in fourth. The pace was only steady in the early stages and then quickened up. I predicted this and that it wouldn't suit him when writing about his Guineas win here, so I'd say he has a chance of moving up to challenge Diamond Green for top mile honors. And with that one looking unlikely to come over again for the Sussex stakes (because it's run at a time when the top French horses take a mid-season break) Haafhd looks to have a major chance of taking the big Goodwood prize. The older milers just aren't up to snuff, as we saw when they all finished in a heap in four lengths behind Refuse To Bend (40) in the Queen Anne stakes. This being so, if he were mine, I'd hold off on stepping Haafhd up to ten furlongs just yet. If Haafhd took up his engagement in the Eclipse he'd meet some seriously fast horses and almost certainly get beat. The time for that experiment is surely in Newmarket's Champion stakes, which is a pretty soft Group 1 nowadays. I want to see him in the Sussex stakes where I'd rate him a seriously good bet.

I don't know where BRUNEL (41) goes from here. Normally a horse that earned such a big rating would get a big write up from me here. But I worry that he's going to continually bump up against slightly faster horses at what seems his specialist distance of a mile. If he's going to take a Group 1 this year I suspect it will be by cutting back to the 6.5 furlongs of the Prix Maurice de Gheest or the seven furlongs of the Prix Foret. These are the weakest Group 1's most years and he's quick enough to win either. The other option to secure a win would be to drop down in class. And I see his connections were already considering this option when they entered Brunel for the Group 3 Prix de la Jonchere at Chantily on the 21st of June.

CASTLETON (41) looks very interesting after finishing close up in such a hot race. He's from a small stable so is likely to offer real betting value even if he drops down to Group 3 or Listed company. If he does he'd make an attractive bet even against older horses.

The three year old fillies produced a proper Group 1 time when CELTIC HEROINE (41) won a red hot Listed handicap at the Royal meeting. This filly has done nothing but improve and I'd love the chance to bet her against some of the better known members of her age and sex. Long term I'd like to see her in the Falmouth stakes. Short term I wouldn't oppose her in races against her own sex below Group 1 level.

Similar comments apply to half length runner up COY (40). The amazing thing about Coy is that her official handicap mark will probably still be under 100 after this race. That means she could get into a big handicap with a lowish weight, especially if she took on older horses and took advantage of the weight for age allowance. Whatever route she goes I'd be wary of opposing her next time.

Third placed ZOSIMA (38) met major traffic problems and might well have won if she'd got a clear run. She proved here that she is equally good on turf as she was on dirt in the states. I'd bet on Godolphin winning a big race with her before the season is out.

RAKTI (43) showed that he now sets the standard for ten furlongs when winning the Prince Of Wales stakes. He has twice run a bit faster, to a rating of 45, in the Champion stakes and in Hong Kong when second to Falbrav. So it looks likely that he can improve for this race which was his seasonal debut.

The trick now will be to tell when Rakti is vulnerable. This doesn't appear hard. Clearly he hates soft ground and his trainer, Mick Jarvis, has expressed concerns about his charge's ability to be effective over a yard further than ten furlongs. In particular he's worried about Rakti's ability to last the extended ten furlongs at York in the Juddmonte International. He may well be right. My studies of that race and other big contests over the same course and distance show that the winner's Dosage profile is closer to that of a twelve furlong than a ten furlong performer. I'm no great fan of the Disage numbers overall but they do give some guidance to a horse's likely stamina and it may well be that the York race is going to test Rakti's stamina to the breaking point. The Eclipse stakes too must be a concern. I picture Sandown's prolonged uphill finish and I wonder whether Rakti will last home all the way up it.

I know that Rakti won the Italian Derby over twelve furlongs. But Falbrav also won an Italian Group 1 on similarly fast ground and he later proved that he was really more effective at ten furlongs. So my gut feel is that Rakti, from a betting standpoint, may well be worth taking on next time out if he goes to Sandown or York.

POWERSCOURT (41) could well be the horse to beat Rakti next time. He ran second to him here but had run a bigger rating (44) when winning over an extra half furlong last time out.

IKHTYAR (41) ran to the same rating as last time but has hit 43 on slower ground at Sandown. So I would not write off his chances of winning the Eclipse just yet. It could be that John Gosden is write and Ikhtyar really does need genuinely good ground and not extremes like the firm ground here or the soft he encountered on his seasonal debut.

The Windsor Forest stakes attracted an extraordinarily strong field and will, I'm sure, be given Group 1 status in time. FAVOURABLE TERMS (42) won it in terrific time.

Favourable Terms may well be best fresh. She has won all four times she's come into a race off a break of six weeks or more and lost both times she hasn't. I note with interest that her next big race entry is for the Sussex stakes, six weeks to the day after her win here. My ratings say she'd have a major chance in that contest. Longer term I'd love to see her go for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. That race suits a European firm ground miler and Favourable Terms would probably be the quickest runner in this year's line up if she started.

MONTURANI (40) has run serious Group 2 class speed figures on several occasions and did so again here by finishing second to Favourable Terms. I confess I've never quite been able to work out why she sometimes runs like this and sometimes runs much slower. But trainer Geoff Wragg believes the key is the firm ground she encountered here. It's amazing that a filly with Monturani's level of ability should have lost eleven times in a row. Wragg aims to remedy that by stepping her up to ten furlongs next time. If the ground stays firm for her and she can avoid the best Group 1 fillies and mares she will have a big shot of winning.

Soar (34) won the Queen Mary stakes in good but not sensational time. She's clearly a very useful two year old filly that ought to stay longer. She is going to have to improve to win a Group 1 I'd say. That's possible but I'm not convinced which is why I've decided not to put her name in bold which signifies I think she's worth following. Most seasons we see the best juvenile fillies running 37+ on my ratings.

You wouldn't expect to see a fast horse, especially a two year old, run anywhere but the big meeting while Royal Ascot was on the go. But that's exactly what happened when PIKE BISHOP (32) coasted home at Ripon in a time that would have made him a serious contender in the Norfolk stakes, which was his alternative engagement.

I believe that horses benefit from being brought along slowly and gradually being stepped up in class and distance. Roger Charlton clearly agrees seeing how he placed Pike Bishoip here. I'd bet that his patience will be rewarded with a big race win later in the season. Pike Bishop is a solid Group class two year old that is worth following.

A rating-related maiden at Hamilton should attract decent horses but one did the other day when MASKED (31) won in a time that marks him out as better than the class D and E races for which he still qualifies. He's a good looking horse with a lot of scope for improvement, seeing that this was his first run at a longer trip. He should be able to follow up this win if he's run in the kind of low class contest that he's entered for at Windsor on Monday.

I've been banging on all season about the series of big speed figures earned by three year olds in handicaps. So far the biggest ratings have come from the sprinters of the classic generation like Boogie Street, Bebaun and MossVale. But a few days ago ETMAAM (38) equaled the highest speed rating we've seen from a three year old handicapper when winning a valuable class B Rated stakes at York. Etmaam should really be unbeaten in three tries at middle distances but got outpaced and rallied last time over an inadequate 10 furlongs before rallying to lose in a photo. Trainer Mark Johnston says that a step up from the extended ten furlongs here to a mile and a half will help the horse. He intends to make the move in the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot. One of Johnston's trademark moves is to bring back winners quickly to score again with a penalty. Etmaam had good prospects of adding to his success with this tactic at Ascot. Long term I would not be surprised to see Etmaam back at York for the Great Voltigeur before taking a shot at the St Leger. My ratings say he's that good.

Runner up MOTIVE (38) had defeated the smart Coming Again in a red hot maiden at Windsor on his only previous try at a longer trip. He is obviously well worth following and, like the winner, is Group class according to my speed ratings. His official rating is still remarkably low, so his connections must surely be thinking of a valuable handicap win before he steps up to pattern company.

The trend of fast times in a 3YO handicap continued when SELEBELA (37) produced a huge effort to romp away with a mere class D contest at Salisbury. Her performance rates as Group 3 class for a three year old filly. So, with trainer Cumani saying that the filly will be suited by a longer homestraight, it doesn't take much imagination to see that he must be thinking in terms of the Galtres stakes at York and then the Park Hill stakes at Doncaster with this remarkably progressive filly. Selebela has won by a big margin all three times she's tackled a middle distance. I'd actually fancy her in the Irish Oaks.

BINARY VISION (36) is another three year old who may well prove Group class. He bolted up by seven lengths from a decent field of maidens on the same card in most impressive style. He's very good looking, very well bred and could be anything. I'd be scared of opposing him in anything but a strong Group race next time.

Until he won at York the other day CIRCUIT DANCER (38) had appeared to be a 'need to lead' front runner who wilted when he was taken on early. He would have to come from behind to win this big target, the Wokingham, and this is what he did at York, scoring in decent time.

The key to Circuit Dancer apparently is that he doesn't like the stalls. This being so it's probably significant that three of his four wins have come in fields of ten or less. I'd be inclined to bet against him when there are more runners than that on the grounds that he'd have to be stuck in the stalls too long while the field were loaded (which kind of rules the Wokingham out seeing there'll be 30 runners).

Circuit Dancer would have been beaten a couple of lengths if DAZZLING BAY (37) hadn't ducked across the track close home. Dazzling Bay is a horse that hates being hit with the whip and dived across the track when winning at York last season too. He has run a speed figure of 42 in the past and would probably have done so here but for swerving. On firm ground Dazzling Bay is a solid Group 2 class horse. If he were mine I'd forget about the Wokingham or any sort of handicap and look for a Group race for him while the ground remains favorable. In pattern company they tend to have smaller fields and that means he'd have a better chance of dominating and establishing a clear lead in the last couple of furlongs without having to be pressured. With the Jockey Club now so keen to clamp down on jockeys not riding out to the finish, Dazzling Bay is hardly likely to be a popular mount. He's just the sort of horse to get a jockey in trouble with the stewards if they ride him as he needs to be. Still, quirky as the horse is, on firm ground I wouldn't oppose Dazzling Bay next time outside of Group 1 company.

Luca Cumani's IDEALISTIC (33) was long odds on to win a maiden at Chepstow but got turned over by GOSLAR (34). Both fillies put up Listed class times for their age and sex, and I'd bet both of them will have earned some black type by the end of the season.

Henry Candy says that the Galtres stakes or the Park Hill are possible targets for Goslar. The Galtres stakes is Luca Cumani's favorite race, and I reckon he may well be pointing Idealsitic towards that race too - so a re-match is on the cards. In the meantime Idealistic is a slam dunk to win a maiden and Goslar ought to be able to pick up another race before she steps up into pattern company. Goslar is German on the dam's side which normally indicates great stamina, and Candy says that she does indeed stay very well. So it will be interesting to see her over longer than this mile and a half.

You rarely see anything decent in a maiden handicap. Such races are usually as bad as sellers. But MILLFIELD DREAMS (35) earned an unusually good speed figure for the class when blasting home by six lengths at Chepstow. The cut back to six furlongs seemed to improve Millfield Dreams, but equally it could be that something that was wrong with him was fixed in the ten months he was off prior to this race. Whatever the reason, Millfield Dreams is a class C horse that's eligible for class E and F contests. He won easing up here and can probably run faster too.

But for a neck loss off a one year lay-off DEVON FLAME (39) would be unbeaten in five starts over five and six furlongs. He showed that he is pattern class with an impressive win despite traffic problems in a hot little handicap at Ayr. He is apparently to be aimed at the Ayr Silver Cup. Before then he'll surely win again as his handicap mark allows him entry into very ordinary handicaps.

H HARRISON (37) looks like another sprint handicapper that's worth following. He clocked a decent time winning a pretty warm contest at Chester. His trainer believes that HI Harrison is best around a turn. This is validated by the fact that the horse has won three of the last five times he's run around a turn on fast ground at seven furlongs or less but scored just once in his last 15 runs up the straight. This kind of predictable inconsistency is useful from a betting point of view as it builds the odds for when the horse races in the right circumstances.

At the other end of the distance scale STOOP TO CONQUER (36) would have broken the course record when running away with a marathon handicap at Pontefract if they hadn't switched over to electric timing. This lighly-raced John Dunlop four year old is a half brother to the Prix du Cadran winner Give Notice who also improved significantly as he got older. Dunlop must surely be thinking in terms of one of Royal Ascot's ultra long distance races after this. If he sticks to ordinary handicap company he could easily run up a sequence of wins.

Returning to 2004's seemingly never-ending theme of useful three year old handicappers we have RICHTEE (33) who won in good time at Redcar when stepped up massively in trip to 10 furlongs in a mere class F contest. Richtee's victory highlights the idiocy of the handicap system. How on earth is the handicapper supposed to assess the true merit of a horse bred for middle distances off three runs at five and six furlongs? Surely it's time to have most races be non-handicaps where eligibility is not dictated by a horse's official handicap rating. Then, if we really had to retain handicaps, we could reserve them for horses that had established some sort of form. In any event, Richtee is clearly miles better than class F and must have good prospects of winning a couple of more times before the handicapper can come close to giving him a rating that reflects his real level of ability.

ZEITGEIST (35) ran faster than Richtee but he didn't quite manage to give chunks of weight to the older Millennium Hall at Hamilton. Nonetheless he proved that he is a useful three year old. Normal physical improvement through the rest of the season should see him become a force in the better handicaps.

Yet another fast three year old handicapper emerged when MAT AT ARMS (34) strolled home by eight lengths at Brighton. Man At Arms had finished like a train when stepped up to ten furlongs last time and improved significantly over an extra two furlongs here. Clearly he stays well and must have excellent prospects of following up this win.

You don't see many fast times on the AW outside the winter months, since the better runners migrate to the richer prizes on grass. However, TRE COLLINE (36) proved an exception when blasting clear by seven lengths at Southwell. Tre Colline's pedigree is heavily tilted towards the sand and he is now unbeaten in two AW appearances. I would oppose him with some confidence on grass but on the AW there isn't much around that can beat him right now.

Over jumps MONTREAL (38), GLYNN DINGLE (38) and KOCK DE LA VESVRE (38) fought out a tight finish for a valuable class B handicap chase at Perth. They are all well above average chasers for the off season and should be followed if they run again.

Kock De La Vesvre seems to like Perth. This may be because the fences are easy to jump there. Prior to this narrow loss, Kock De La Vesvre had won the last five times he'd run at tracks where 6.8% or fewer horses have fallen over the past decade. He'd lost the last ten times he'd faced jumps that claimed a bigger percentage of fallers. To figure out when to bet Kock De La Vesvre in future I can only recommend you refer to the following table which shows British the tracks where more than 6.8% of horses have fallen over the past ten years;

Aintree (National) 22.39%

Aintree (Mildmay) 9.72%

Wincanton 9.66%

Lingfield 8.88%

Musselburgh 8.72%

Ayr 8.71%

Doncaster 8.61%

Cartmel 8.48%

Kempton 8.35%

Kelso 7.58%

Folkestone 7.47%

Leicester 7.44%

Plumpton 7.30%

Newcastle 7.26%

Cheltenham 7.22%

Wolverhampton 7.22%

Wetherby 7.14%

Catterick 7.03%

Fakenham 6.91%

Taunton 6.91%

Bangor 6.81%

If Kock Le Vesvre runs at any track other than one on the above list soon I'd bet him.

I can't really puzzle out any obvious pattern to Montreal's form. He simply seems to have bounced back to his best and has now won three in a row.

Glynn Dingle is clearly a useful horse. All his wins have come in the off season and on right-handed tracks. He went close in the Galway Plate last year, so I assume that's his big objective again.

I predicted after her last win that OUIJA BOARD (43) would prove capable of beating colts in Group 1 company. She certainly validated that view in the Oaks, blasting home by seven lengths in faster time than the older colts recorded in the Coronation Cup over the same course and distance half an hour earlier.

Ouija Board ranked as the joint fastest three year old in Europe on my speed figures prior to this run (along with Ecomium). She now stands ahead of them all.

It's been quite some time since we've seen a 3YO filly as fast as Ouija Board in Britain. So I hope her connections don't restrict her to a series of bloodless wins against her own age and sex before bundling her off to stud. This is a serious international class performer who deserves a shot at some of the world's most important races.

That one sub-par effort on soft ground makes me worry about her ability to handle anything but good or faster going. But that shouldn't be a worry during the summer. And the big international races in American, Hong Kong and Japan invariably provide a fast surface as well.

Ouija Board's dam is a sister to Teleprompter who won the Arlington Million. That's the sort of race I'd like to see her go for.

The Derby winner NORTH LIGHT (42) earned a slightly lower speed rating than Ouija Board, and at first I was tempted to knock him because of this. But, checking back over my speed figures for the last seven Derby winners, I see that I rate him the joint fastest winner along with High Chaparral and Sinndar. However, I wavered about putting his name in capitals signifying that he's worth following.

The truth is most Derby winners run the same sort of speed figure on the big day. It's how fast they run afterwards that counts. They need to run quicker later on as High Chaparral and Sinndar did to win the really big international races like the Arc and the Breeders' Cup Turf. Will North LIght be able to do that? I honestly don't know. All I have is a gut feel that he's going to struggle based on the fact that there are so many up and comers among the three year olds, there are quite a few smart older horses around, and of course because the Oaks winner went quicker by my estimates.

Rule of Law (41) ran a chunky speed figure to finish second and he's obviously an interesting prospect. The same has to be true for Let The Lion Roar (41) and Percussionist (41) who finished right on his heels despite not handling Tattenham Corner. My gut feel though is that all three are going to struggle in Group 1 company.

If there was another future Group 1 star in the Derby besides the winner, I suspect it will be the fifth placed SALFORD CITY (39) who almost certainly failed to stay.

In the previous eleven running's of the Derby there had been 43 runners that had prepped for the race at a mile or less like Salford City did. All 43 lost and none ever managed to stay more than a mile and a quarter subsequently. I'd be pretty confident the same will prove true of Salford City. So, for a non-stayer, he did rather well to finish so close up. He's very highly regarded by his trainer, David Elsworth, and he is not one to hype his horses.

The Coronation Cup was won by Warrsan (41). I doubt that he's fast enough to be winning another Group 1. He had the advantage of race fitness, and I suspect that a couple making their seasonal debut will proress beyond him.

It's been umpteen years since the Coronation Cup has been won by a seasonal debutante. So I think that the second and sixth - DOYEN (40), HIGH ACCOLADE (40) and MAGISTRETTI (38) are the ones to take out of this race. They all ran well on their first start of the year despite encountering problems.

Doyen is a horse I was banging on about all last year, and he ran yet another good speed figure despite getting impeded here. He's looking like Godolphin's big gun to me right now. I don't rate his stablemate Sulamani any faster and Doyen looks to have more scope for improvement. I'd bet on him winning a big Group 1 at 12 furlongs this year.

Magistretti failed to handle Tattenham corner in last year's Derby - losing lots of ground before running on again late. He met the same fate here but got a bit closer at the finish. His performance seemed to prove his trainer's assertion that he'll be best at 12 furlongs this season.

Last season Magistretti earned a big speed figure (43) from me when staying on strongly to chase home the mighty Falbrav in the Juddmonte International. This season I can see him taking a Group 1 of his own. If he takes up his engagement in the Hardwicke stakes at the Royal meeting I'd say he'll win.

I mentioned after his last start that Persian Lightning (39) was a horse to bet next time. He proved me right when winning at Epsom. Now though, I rather fancy that it is DESERT QUEST (39), the horse that ran him to a head which will pay to follow.

Desert Quest has run unplaced all three times he's run 12 furlongs. If he'd gotten up here he'd have taken his record to three wins out of three at ten furlongs. He ran a solid Group 3 time, which is quite something for a four year old with an official rating of only 89. He's clearly tremendously well handicapped right now, and that means he's a horse that could easily be placed to win a big mile and a quarter handicap sometime soon.

There are still a few pattern class three year olds lurking in maiden company. This was proven when RESERVOIR (36) and GANYMEDE (36) dueled for three furlongs while pulling more than a dozen lengths clear of their pursuers at Goodwood. The pair may actually have helped each other's long term prospects by running against each other here. If either of them had raced on their own they'd have won by a huge margin and their official handicap marks would have skyrocketed as a result. As it is, with both of them rated around 80 prior to this start and everything that ran close to them unrated there must be every hope that the handicapper will leave their official ratings pretty much unchanged. That means both of them are seriously good prospects for valuable three year old handicaps.

This season has been notable for the fact that so many of the top three year olds have raced in handicap company. I've been banging on about it remorselessly in this column. But I confess I never expected I'd be awarding speed figures in a 3YO handicap as big as those I gave FRANK SONATA (41) and MODESTA (40) for running first and second in an insanely competitive class B handicap at Haydock.

Frank Sonata had previously run a Group class time winning another handicap at York, while Modesta had earned one of the biggest speed ratings I'd given a 3YO filly when taking a maiden in freakishly fast time at Yarmouth. It was weird that two horses with such a high level of ability should end up in the same handicap, but they did.

Frank Sonata won the race after a prolonged battle with Modesta. My speed ratings indicate that he really ought to be running in something like the Irish Derby. But it appears likely he's going to run next in the King George V handicap at Royal Ascot. That's going to be one hell of a hot race this year, but I think Frank Sonata has a huge chance of winning it. The only caveat is that his trainer says he needs genuinely good or faster ground. This is backed up by the fact that the only race he's lost recently was run on what I rated good to firm ground at Newbury. He ran pretty well that day though, finishing third in fast time in a hot contest. And it may be that it was simply that he hadn't recovered from his win at York four days before. After all, both his sire and dame were basically firm ground performers, and they both seem to produce horses that mostly have a preference for firmer ground.

I was amazed to see Henry Cecil Modesta run in this race instead of the Oaks. In fact I was reminded of a near identical couple of incidents in 1998 . That year Henry Cecil's Craigsteel won a minor race at Doncaster a day before the St Leger, earning a bigger speed rating from me than the winner of the final classic itself. I couldn't understand why Cecil didn't take a shot at the Leger with Craigsteel. The horse went on to break the 12f course record at Newmarket and lost the million dollar Turf Classic by a mere half a length. A few month's earlier, on Derby Day, I awarded a huge speed figure to Henry Cecil's Royal Anthem when he won a minor race at Newmarket. Again, I couldn't understand why Cecil chose to sidestep the chance to win a classic. Royal Anthem went on to become one of the world's top performers, winning a string of big races and placing in events like the Breeders Cup Turf, the King George and the Coronation Cup.

I sincerely hope Cecil now allows Modesta to take up her engagement in the Ribblesdale stakes at Royal Ascot. He tries very hard to get winners at that meeting and this filly has a serious chance of scoring. Seeing that she'd be switching from a 'mere' handicap to a Group 2 I can only imagine what price she'd be. I can hardly wait.

ADMIRAL (38) earned a chunky speed figure by finishing third to the above pair and would have been an easy wide margin winner if they hadn't lined up. On his only previous start beyond a mile Admiral had managed to beat Watamu, a horse that I'd awarded a Listed class speed figure to previously.

With an official rating of just 80 Admiral must be the best handicapped three year old in training. Logically he ought to be racing in pattern company but he looks set to take on Frank Sonata again at Ascot. He'll be getting something like 20 pounds from his conqueror there, and the faster ground may well favor him too. He's surely going to win something big in the next month or two.

DALLOL (36) ran a nice race to finish fourth and ought to be winning something soon. He was most unlucky to come up against three Group class runners in a handicap.

Until a couple of days ago Mick Channon's Turnkey and Aiden O'Brien's Russian Blue were the fastest juveniles we'd seen this season according to my speed figures. Now CAESAR BEWARE (35) has just gone and run equally fast by winning impressively on his debut.

Henry Candy says that Caesar Beware's big target is the valuable September Yearling sales stakes at Doncaster in September. It's unlikely that there'll be anything among the restricted entry for that race fast enough to beat him. Meanwhile it will be interesting to see what other races Caesar beware takes in. He's a gelding, so the only criteria is going to be prize money. Wherever he runs I'd be wary of opposing him. The style of his win suggests he could have produced more if pressed. He could easily prove to be Group 1 class.

I'd like to see Ceasar Beware run at Royal Ascot. If he does he'll be joining MADID (39) who booked his ticket for the Jersey stakes with an impressive late run at Sandown to catch the smart Pastoral Pursuits. Madid is still unbeaten in two starts and it's tough to say how good he is. He ran only a point slower than Haafhd did in the Guineas according to my estimates and is going to take some pegging back at Ascot.

Highie Morrison is now left to decide whether to step up or down in distance with PASTORAL PURSUITS (38) after this terrific comeback effort over seven furlongs. There are problems either way. If he steps up to a mile he'll be going against the horse's pedigree which says seven furlongs may well be his maximum. If he steps back to six furlongs he'll have to take on older horses which is exceptionally difficult for a three year old. If he were mine I'd stick to seven furlongs and shoot for the Jersey stakes just like Madid. That race should provide more evidence about Pastoral Pursuit's best future distance options, and he'd have a great chance of winning it.

JORDANS ELECT (36) is a big strong horse according to his trainer, the type that will make a good jumper. So it's not surprising he seems to like tracks with steep uphill finishes. Carlisle and Hamilton have the steepest finishes in flat racing and his recent win took his record at those two tracks to three wins from his last four tries. He's yet to win elsewhere. The race Jordans Elect won is a qualifier for the Totepool Series Handicap Final back at Hamilton in August. I wouldn't fancy betting him before then unless he runs at Carlisle or Hamilton. But my ratings suggest he should be a major player in the final.

Finally, over jumps we saw a decent speed figure when ROYAL PREDICA (37) scored at Perth. The old boy has now won four of the last five times he's run over less than three miles on tracks with relatively easy fences. I can see him winning a few more times this summer now that he's racing over shorter trips.

The Brigadier Gerard stakes is undoubtedly the strongest Group 3 race in Britain. Most years it's won by a Group 1 horse. This year's renewal looks as though it was up to standard, since it was fought out by BANDARI (41) and IKHTYAR (41).

Bandari is unusual for a Mark Johnston runner in that he seems to have been improved by a cut back in distance. Johnston has an amazing knack of getting almost any horse to go twelve furlongs or more. But Bandari's record shows that he's lost the last six times he's run at twelve furlongs plus and won the last six times he's gone shorter. However, although it's the popular view, I am not convinced that it is the cut back to ten furlongs that has improved Bandari. He had a floating bone chip removed from a fetlock after a winless and abbreviated season last year. Strip out his runs that season, and his seasonal debut after a ten month break this season (when he was sweating and almost certainly backward) and Bandari's record at longer than ten furlongs looks an awful lot better - three wins out of four runs. My speed figures for Bandari prior to this season showed that he was running just as fast at 12 furlongs as at ten. With eight wins from nine tries beyond sprint trips excluding the period when the bone chip was presumably affecting him, he could still be anything. He put up a solid Group 2 time here, and would not need to improve much to be competitive in Group 1 company.

I am often saying that a horse is at its most effective at the outermost limits of its stamina. Bandari has been finishing very strongly over ten furlongs and has scored his biggest win over twelve. So my belief is that if he is to win in Group 1 company it will be when he's stepped back up to a mile and a half rather than raced over what most people now believe is his best trip of ten furlongs. I'd bet that he gets outpaced at a crucial stage and then runs on strongly but too late if he contests the Prince of Wales and the Eclipse.

Ikhtyar on the other hand is almost certainly a genuine ten furlong specialist. He earned a speed rating of 43 from me when bolting up over this course and distance last year. He looked to be going much the best entering the home straight but shifted his ground and was just worried out of it on going that his trainer feels was probably a bit soft for him. On faster ground I'd bet on Ikhtyar turning this form around in the Eclipse. The conditions here favored Bandari because I think that one has more stamina. Whether John Gosden's oft-stated belief that Ikhtyar needs genuinely good ground and can't handle extremes is true I'm not sure. In my experience horses aren't normally that tricky. They either like soft ground or they like firm. I'd bet that Ikhtyar likes firm, so I'll be looking to see him improve on the likely firm ground in the Eclipse even though many punters will be betting he won't handle it.

You don't often see an older horse run a Group 3 time in a class D handicap. But that's what ACOMB (38) did when running away with a competitive 0-85 contest over a mile at Sandown. It may be that Acomb has just improved markedly with age. Or it could be that he's at his best during the summer months. Whatever the reason I would not want to oppose him in any ordinary handicap he contests in the near future. In fact I can see him winning a valuable contest in the next month or two. The obvious target is the Tote Scoop 6 handicap over the same course and distance on the Eclipse card in early July. He may well need to win again before then to ensure his official rating is high enough to make the cut in that race. I'd bet on him doing just that.

The next day at Kempton we saw a decent juvenile filly maker her debut when SOAR (30) won over the minimum trip in a Listed class time. Her trainer, James Fanshawe, doesn't have many two year old runners this early in the season. But they do well. five out of his 21 two year olds that ran before July won on their debuts in the last decade. Soar is due to go for the Queen Mary stakes. She'll need to improve a bit to win that, and it's not impossible. In any event she ought to be able to win again in one of her next two or three starts.

A slightly better time was put up by the Godolphin juvenile COUNCIL MEMBER (32) when he made a winning debut at Newcastle. I'm a bit concerned that the Racing Post report Council Member to be somewhat dip-backed, as this is a major conformation fault that normally precludes a horse from winning in pattern company. Still, I can't believe he'd be allowed into the Godolphin fold if his conformation were that bad, and he put up a time that indicates he's Group class here. What makes this all the more remarkable is that Council Member is bred to want a mile at two and this race was only five furlongs. He's also bred to want dirt, so I'd be wary of betting him on anything but good or faster ground since dirt bred runners can rarely act on soft. That said, he looks a good prospect. If he were mine I'd be thinking in terms of the Chesham stakes at Royal Ascot.

Runner up JUANTORENA (31) dueled with the winner and pulled six lengths clear of the third in his efforts to get by. He is miles better than the average maiden winner and would be a good thing to win a maiden next time. He'd also have a decent chance in pattern company.

A similar duel developed between GLOVED HAND (32) and CASTELLETTO (32) when they put seven lengths between themselves and the rest of the field in a fast Nottingham 2YO maiden. Gloved Hand apparently won with a bit in hand and ought to improve the more of the pair since this was her racecourse debut. That means she is now a live contender for the Queen Mary. Both she and Castelletto should pay to follow.

James Fanshawe, the trainer of Soar, turned out a decent older maiden winner when ROYAL PRINCE (33) won a Yarmouth maiden by a clear margin. Royal Prince is fast enough to follow up this win in a class C or D handicap and may well be better than that class.

TAHREEB (40) showed why the Heron stakes at Kempton showed deserves to be upgraded to a Group race when winning another fast renewal of the contest that has produced so many top class runners in recent years. He clocked a time that would have given him a real chance in the St James' Palace stakes, if only he'd been entered for that contest. His trainer, Marcus Tregoning, is considering a German Group race next for his charge. I guess he's talking about the Grosser Posrche Preis (formerly the Brandenburg Trophy) at Hoppegarten in early July. That's frequently a hot race, but Tahreeb has the ability to win it according to my ratings.

There was a big gamble on the runner up LEICESTER SQUARE (40). Many seemed to be betting that Godolphin were deliberately dropping a potentially Group 1 horse into Listed company in an effort to ensure Frankie Dettori had a winning first ride back from his recent injury. My speed ratings suggest they were right and that Leicester Square is a seriously fast three year old. I hope he's allowed to take up his entry in the St James' Palace stakes as I believe he'd have a real chance of winning it at big odds.

The other horse to take out of the race is almost certainly the fourth AZAROLE (37) who ran like a horse who needs a much longer distance - getting outpaced then staying on again late. He's by Alzao, most of whose best progeny were middle distance runners. The only time his dam was previously mated with such a stout sire came when she produced Macadamia who stayed a mile and a quarter.

Azarole would have won his first three starts but for running green and getting beat in a photo on his debut. He then ran fourth in one of the hottest two year old races of the season, the Champagne Stakes. The winner of that race, Lucky Story, won all four of his starts following a debut loss. He has met with a setback and won't be seen out again till later this season. But every other horse barring Azarole that ran in the race has gone on to win or place in Group 1 company.

It could well be that something went wrong with Azarole when he was a close fourth to Group 1 winner Milk It Mick on his next start. After all he did not race again at two and was reportedly backward according to Raceform when running fifth on his reappearance in the Free Handicap. He lost ground at the start and had to be switched in that race but still made late headway. Now he's run another highly promising race.

To me, Azarole reads like a horse with an awful lot of potential, especially going longer than a mile.

I've mentioned PRINCE AARON (41) here before, and he proved that he can handle fast turf as well as the AW by recording a fast time in the Wokingham Trial at Kempton. He looks to have a major shot in the big race itself as he's described as a hold up horse that needs cover by his trainer. He got beat in a small field last time but has won four of the last five times he's encountered fields of more than a dozen. His time was extraordinary for a horse with an official rating of only 74. Because of this he'll probably start favorite off the featherweight he'll carry in the Wokingham - if he makes the cut.

Runner-up TRUE NIGHT (38) is also looking very interesting. He has run significantly faster with each of his six starts this year, which is a familiar pattern with horses trained by his handler, Dandy Nicholls. He may be seven but I can see True Night taking a hand in one of the big sprint handicaps this season. First he will need to win a lesser handicap or two to ensure he has a big enough rating to get into a big race. That means he ought to be followed in his next couple of starts. Nicholls knows how to place a horse like this.

Sticking to the shorter trips, CELTIC MILL (41) showed that he really is a tremendously hard sprinter to catch when he can enjoy an uncontested lead as he did at Windsor. His win in this Listed event demonstrated that he's actually got the ability to win in Group company. The smaller the field the better for him clearly. His trainer says Celtic Mill is tough to beat around a turn because fields tend to be smaller and he's more likely to be left alone up front. In big fields up the straight Celtic Mill, his trainer feels, will always be vulnerable because he's more likely to get taken on for the lead. But in smallish fields over six furlongs he's going to be tough to peg back on fast ground.

Runner-up Ashdown Express (39) is a consistent sprinter. But there are too many as good as him in Listed and Group sprints to make him a horse worth following.

I've mentioned third placed LA CUCARACHA (37) here before, and she again an a very big speed figure for a three year old filly. It must be frustrating to her owners that there are virtually no opportunities to race her against her own age and sex. Still, I suspect Barry Hills will find something for her. A horse this fast is hard to keep out of the winner's enclosure. If he could get her to stay seven furlongs there'd be more opportunities for her.

A virtual identical situation faces another three year old female sprinter, CAVERAL (37) who won the previous race on the card at Windsor. She's awfully quick over six furlongs but her trainer, Richard Hannon complained afterwards that there was nothing for her at the big Royal Ascot meeting, except the Jersey stakes over one furlong more than she seems to stay. Again though, Caveral is so quick she'll surely be found more opportunities somehow.

We got back to the this year's by now rather worn out theme of remarkably fast three year old handicappers when FINE SILVER (35) and CELTIC HEROINE (35) fought out the finish of a classified stakes at Ayr. Both are clearly useful and should prove profitable to follow. Celtic Heroine is a filly and is quick enough to pick up some black type against her own sex if she's placed correctly.

Yet another fast time in a three year old handicap was put up by MIS CHICAF (36) when she blasted home by seven lengths in a six furlong sprint at York. I've mentioned Mis Chicaf here before of course, and she's clearly a very speedy filly. Her aim is apparently the valuable William Hill sprint handicap and her trainer explained she needed a much bigger official rating to get into that race. This obviously explains her big winning margin. Normally a jockey would upset connections for winning by more than they have to, but not here obviously. Normally too, I'd say that Mis Chicaf would be a cert to win the William Hill sprint after running such a fast time. But this is a freakishly fast year for three year old handicappers. There are some smart young sprinters around that I can see beating Mis Chicaf. For example there is Mr. Wolf, the only horse to beat her in her last four starts. And of course there is the remarkably quick Enchantment who looks pretty much unstoppable against her own age group in sprints on fast ground.

The most recent fast time by a three year old in a handicap was put up by ZEITGEST (34) at Redcar. He probably needed his seasonal debut, as most of Cumani's do. In fact, if you toss out his seasonal debuts he is unbeaten in two starts. He looks a contender for the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot which may well be a red hot race this year.

Second placed SILVERHAY (33) clearly improved for the step up in distance and would be a smart bet to win a similar ordinary handicap next time out.

We saw a couple of decent two year old fillies when DON'T TELL MUM (31) and ROODEYE (31) fought out the finish of a fast Bath maiden Auction over the minimum distance. The time was pattern class and both fillies are likely to improve since they were each making their first racecourse appearance. Richard Hannon was non-committal about Don't Tell Mum's prospects of running in the Queen Mary. He was right to be as the speed rating she earned was four or five points behind the average winner of that race. Still, she and Roodeye should be worth following.

SMIDDY HILL (31) is another very speedy juvenile filly who ran just as fast as the above two when winning by five lengths at York. Her trainer says she needs an easy five furlongs and fast ground. That suggests her form is going to become quite spotty as you can never guarantee the ground and the better tracks (where higher rated horses like her normally have to race) tend to have uphill finishes. In other words, she may well pop up at a big price in a decent race if she's forced to race in unsuitable circumstances a few times as seems likely.

A two year old colt that looks useful is SAFARI SUNSET (32) who clocked a fast time on lightning fast ground to score on his debut at Leicester. Safari Sunset is bred for sprinting and there seems a slight bias in his pedigree towards fast ground. So I'd be most enthusiastic about his future chances if he kept to the minimum trip and encountered fast ground again. Still, he's useful, and since he's from a small stable and this was only an Auction maide, it's just possible he'll get an official mark that will enable him to get into an ordinary nursery handicap. He'd be a good thing to win such a race because he ran a Listed class time here.

Runner-up DRUM DANCE (30) ran way faster than the average maiden winner and put up a good performance for a debut effort. I can see him winning at a decent price if he's stepped up to a class D open maiden. If he's kept to maiden auction company he'd be very hard to beat next time.

An older horse worth keeping an eye on is ACE OF HEARTS (37) who clocked a good time winning a Classified stakes at Newmarket. His form is filled with comments such as 'hampered', 'bumped', 'switched' and 'not clear run'. Clearly he is a horse that is not able to cope with the traffic involved in running in a big field. My studies indicate that for most horses of this type a big field means 12 runners or more. So it's almost certainly significant that All of Ace Of Hearts's wins have come in fields of 11 or less and that he has lost all 14 times he's raced in bigger fields. He's unbeaten in tow tries in fields of eight or less, and his trainer is clearly aware of this as he intends aiming him at more Classified stakes - races which tend to attract small fields.

Another interesting older horse is PUTRA KUANTAN (37). He had raced exclusively over middle distances in his previous starts but improved markedly when cut back to a mile at Sandown. He won clearly and may be capable of running a bit faster. He'll need to if he's to win the Royal Hunt Cup, but I wouldn't discount the possibility.

You don't see many big speed figures on the AW outside the winter and spring. But CAPE ST VINCENT (36) ran a pretty nifty time to win a class E handicap at Wolverhampton. He's finished in the first two all five times he's run on fast turf or the AW at six furlongs since his debut and looks likely to prove competitive in better races than this. He's lightly raced and the races where he's finished second on fast ground all look interesting. He came from much too far back in one on the quirky Polytrack surface, finished clear of the rest when runner up to Group class Smart Predator in another and had very bad draw in the other which was only his second lifetime start. He seemed to win with a bit in hand here and could be anything.

Over jumps FIRST BALLOT (38) showed that he's going to be just as good over fences as he is on the flat and over hurdles when winning on his chase debut at Bangor. I imagine he's going to be running on the flat in the immediate future. But this run indicates he'd actually be a serious candidate for the Arkle next March. I would not oppose him if he sticks to fences. There are not many horses fast enough to threaten him until the jumps season proper starts in November.

One horse that is fast enough to trouble First Ballot in novice chases is SHAYADI (37) who jumped well to beat the useful Spectrometer eight lengths on his chasing debut at Sedgefield. This despite his equipment gradually disintegrating on the long run-in.

Shayadi's trainer, Brian Ellison, has a remarkable record with chase debutantes in the off season and took his record with horses making their fencing debut up to to five wins out of eight during May to October with this win.

Ellison rates Shayadi highly. He was so impressed with his first two wins that he actually entered him for the Champion Hurdle and told reporters he felt the horse could win a big race. His target was supposed to be the County Hurdle. But unfortunately he had to miss that race. It looks like he got injured when badly hampered at Kelso following his two wins. Then he was off for four months and presumably backward when getting beat in a big race at the Aintree Festival.

It may well be that Shayadi is best on a stiff track like Sedgefield, for he has now won all three of his jumps starts on such courses. In any event, Shayadi backed up Ellison's opinion that he "jumps fantastically well" with this win over the bigger jumps. I hope that there is some valuable prize he can shoot for because it would be a pity to waste such a talented horse on a string of minor races.