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MOSS VALE IS THE FASTEST 3YO SPRINTER

MOSS VALE (38) established himself as the fastest three year old sprinter with a three length defeat of the smart Boogie Street at Haydock. His trainer is right to say that sprinters improve with age, so let's hope Moss Vale is kept in training next season. He could well win one of the top sprints. As a three year old he is going to be hard to place as there are so few pattern sprints restricted to three year olds. Nonetheless I'd bet on him winning some sort of Group race this year.

Similar comments apply to BOOGIE STREET (34) who had also earned a rating of 38 when breaking the five furlong track record at Ayr last season. It could be he's better at five furlongs than this six, but it's too early to say. In any event he looks to have trained on and has the ability to do well in Group sprints if he can show any sort of improvement on his two year old form.

MINE (39) posted a solid Group class time to win the Victoria Cup. He's an awfully consistent high class handicapper. His trainer says he's best over a stiff seven furlongs which seems right. He also says he's likely to give him a shot at pattern company. The Challenge stakes looks a logical target, but first there's a repeat bid for the Bunbury Cup apparently.

Greenslades (38) ran another big race in second and may have a good handicap in him. But the horse to follow out of the race is probably VORTEX (37) who had an impossible draw and won his race on the wrong side of the course by a big margin. This run shows that Vortex is almost certainly capable of showing his AW form on firm turf. He's run 41 on the AW and that's good enough to win his big target the Royal Hunt Cup.

ENCHANTED PRINCESS (37) demonstrated that mares in foal can improve tremendously by winning a class D handicap on the Victoria Cup card in seriously good time. Properly placed she could take a bit of black type before she retires to stud in a few weeks. If she sticks to handicaps she ought to be able to win again without a problem.

PINK SAPPHIRE (36) ran a big race to chase home Enchanted Princess and was clearly improved for the step up to a mile. My ratings indicate she would get to within a couple of lengths of the winner in the Coronation stakes but her official handicap mark is an insanely low 69. If she could be found a class D or lower handicap against her own age group she'd be a fantastic bet next time out.

SHE'S OUR LASS (34) is yet another three year old handicapper that is madly well handicapped right now. She ran remarkably fast for a class F contest when winning at Ayr. It seems likely she's best in sprints and on turf. She ought to be able to win again soon if she's kept to low grade races like this.

Hazyview (35) showed how good the three year old handicappers are by taking his second pattern race at Newmarket. My ratings indicate he has hit a plateau at around Listed level though, so I suspect his winning streak has now ended.

Over jumps Martin Pipe demonstrated one of his specialties - bringing a horse back to win off a huge lay-off - when GLADIATEUR IV (37) won a hot little handicap at Stratford. Gladiateur IV doesn't seem to get three miles on a galloping track or act on soft ground. But at less than three miles on fast ground or three miles if the track is tight, he has a terrific record over fences - having won the last six times he's raced in such circumstances. I imagine Pipe has some valuable summer prize in mind for the horse, so I'd follow him carefully.

PAPINEAU CAN TAKE A GROUP 1

I had thought that Doyen was the best horse Godolphin had acquired from Andre Fabre's stable last year. Now PAPINEAU (43) has just gone and shown that the big Dubai team have taken over another solid Group 1 runner. The time Papineau ran at Goodwood on his first UK start was seriously good.

Papineau's dam seems unable to produce anything but pattern class offspring. Her first foal was Silver Singing who won the Falmouth Handicap in Group class time. Her second was My Patriarch who won three pattern races at two miles. Her third was Leger winner Silver Patriarch who also took the Coronation Cup. Her fourth was Silver Grey Lady who ran second in the Lingfield Oaks Trial. Papineau is her fifth foal, and he might just be her best.

Saeed bin Suroor expressed concerns about running Papineau at Epsom because of the horse's old knee injury which might be aggravated by racing down Tattenham corner (horse's hit their front legs a lot harder running downhill). Nonetheless it seems the horse will next be running at Epsom in attempt to emulate his half brother's win in the Coronation Cup. Obviously Silver Patriarch handled Epsom well, seeing that he also ran a short head second in the Derby. But it's worth noting that Papineau's half sister Silver Grey Lady failed to handle Tattenham corner.

SONGLARK (41), like Papineau a son of Singspiel, ran a good time to finish second to his stablemate. It looks like he proved here that 12 furlongs is his best distance. I'm not sure that he can't run a bit faster. I think it may pay to bear in mind Frankie Dettori's statement that SDonglark is a big horse and not at his best on firm ground. It was good to firm here. I'd like to see him run on good or yielding ground. In any event he looks an interesting candidate for the Hardwicke stakes, which looks his next logical target.

One of Songlark's big rivals for the Hardwicke stakes may well be PERSIAN MAJESTY (41) who ran as fast as the average Hardwicke winner to take third behind the two Godolphin horses. Persian Majesty is very lightly raced and held in high regard by his trainer. He's surely going to win something big this year.

Fourth placed PERSIAN LIGHTNING (40) ran his best ever race despite meeting traffic trouble. It's interesting to note that Persian Lightning hasn't shown his old problem of pulling too hard in either of his starts this year. It seems to me that he improved at the longer distance here because he's better at it but hadn't been able to show it before because of his inability to settle.

My read of Persian Lightning's form is that he is better on a flatter, more galloping track than Goodwood. In addition, despite the general belief that he's best in big handicaps run at a strong pace, I suspect that, like many horse which hit traffic trouble, he's better in small fields. I'd rather fancy his chances of taking a Group 3. I'd also be interested in his chances in the Ebor or another big handicap beyond a mile and a quarter on a galloping track.

The fifth TIZZY MAY (38) ran his best ever race at the longest distance he's ever tackled. He'd stayed on well over ten furlongs on his last start and was running on strong at the end of the 12 furlongs here. Clearly he's been wasting his time in shorter races and will be very interesting in one of the big handicaps at a mile and a half or more.

HALICARDIA (35) and Spotlight (35) ran a solid Listed/Group 3 time when fighting out the finish of the Lupe stakes. I'm not sure about Spotlight's immediate prospects since she's due to step up in class for the Oaks. Halicardia though is due to stick to the mile and a quarter that she's bred for and keep to lesser pattern company on her next start at Royal Ascot. She looks the more progressive of the pair too, so I suspect she'll pay to follow.

NAAHY (38) clocked a Group 3 time to win a hot little 7f conditions race at Goodwood. He's a very reliable horse in his favoured circumstances.

I'm convinced that something went wrong with Naahy in that race he lost to Monsieur Bond last July. Mick Channon doesn't give a horse a two month break in the middle of the season for nothing. So I'm happy to toss that race and his comeback two months later on grounds of unfitness. Otherwise Naahy would have won six of the last seven times he's run seven furlongs around a turn if Jamie Spencer hadn't stopped riding and probably cost him a Listed win at Epsom.

Naahy has won up the straight but seems to go off too fast normally when he sees the wide open spaces. He appears to be a hard pulling horse that needs a turn to restrain him.

Logically Naahy ought to be shooting for the John Of Gaunt stakes at Haydock next month, followed by the Lennox stakes at the big Goodwood meeting in July. But, from a betting point of view, I'm rather hoping he runs beyond seven furlongs or up the straight before going for a seven furlong pattern race around a turn. Then we'll get some nice odds about him.

GATWICK (36) continued the big theme of 2004 when winning the valuable three year old handicap at Goodwood in pattern class time. I can't really explain why there are so many smart three year olds in handicaps this year. But I'd fancy Gatwick's chances in a Listed race in the immediate future.

Similar comments apply to runner up DANCING LYRA (35). He looks one of the best prospects we've seen so far for the big three year old 12f handicap, the King George V handicap, at Royal Ascot. He did very well to run second over an adequate nine furlongs here.

Another Group class time was posted in a three year old handicap by SECRET PLACE (36) who apparently now goes for the Brittania Handicap at Royal Ascot. His trainer expressed concerns about Secret Place getting the mile of that race, as well he might. But for nearly getting knocked over last time according to his trainer, he might well be unbeaten in four runs at seven furlongs. He's lost all three times he's been asked to run a mile. If he were mine I'd forget about going a mile in a handicap. I'd enter him for the seven furlong Jersey Stakes at the Royal meeting.

Yet another smart three year old handicapper is WATAMU (36) who deserves a shot at pattern company after improving for the step up to 1m 3f at Goodwood. The thing is, his official rating is so low it surely makes sense to shoot for a big 3YO handicap.

Runner Up MYSTICAL GIRL (35) had run a fast time at Thirsk and improved again for the longer trip here. She rates as fast as the Lupe winner on my figures, so she ought to earn some black type this season. Meanwhile, if she can avoid the remarkable number of smart 3YO handicappers around she should be able to rack up several wins off her remarkably low official rating.

MISS CHICAF (34) once again demonstrated the strength of the three year old handicappers by beating older horses at Doncaster. She's better than the class D tag of that race.

The very best rating from a 3YO handicapper not just of the week but of the season so far was put up by ENCHANTMENT (37) at Bath. In fact, if UK tracks hadn't switched over to electric timing a couple of years ago Enchantment would have broken the track record - quite an achievement for a three year old filly this early in the season. Hand times are about half a second quicker than electric times, and I think records ought to be adjusted to reflect this fact. There's no way most five and six furlong hand-timed records are ever going to be broken if things are left as they are. In any event Enchantment ran the fastest ever electric time at Bath and deserves to be credited with the track record. She won a big Auction race last year and has now won all three times she's encountered good to firm or firmer ground over five or six furlongs.

If there were more than a scattering of pattern races for three year olds at sprint trips I'd be confident Enchantment could win in Group company. As things are she's probably going to stick to handicaps. Her trainer, Milton Bradley, is a master at winning valuable sprint handicaps, particularly at this time of year. So I would be very careful of opposing Enchantment if you see her running in a big sprint on fast ground during the next month or so. Long term, with normal physical improvement, Enchantment could well be winning Group sprints next year.

Runner up BATHWICK BILL (33) was very unlucky to come up against such a smart horse in a mere class D contest. Without Enchantment in the race he would have been a wide margin winner and would have taken his record up to three wins in his last four tries on good to firm or firmer ground. If he sticks to this sort of class level he ought to be near unbeatable next time out.

ALMURAAD (34) ran a solid time to win a conditions race at Newmarket. He'll need to improve to win one of the Group races he's entered for. He could well do that because he apparently idled in front and has went close in the Royal Lodge stakes on his only defeat in three outings so far. If he were mine I'd try and get some black type out of him soon. There's a whole bus-load of smart three year old handicappers who are going to be hitting Group races anytime soon, making success that much harder at that level.

Turning to the two year olds, we saw a reasonable Royal Ascot candidate when CHATEAU ISTANA (30) won a Leicester maiden by a big margin in fast time. The run was only bang on Listed class on my ratings, so I suspect Chateau Istana won't quite be good enough to score at Royal Ascot. But he probably needed his first run and ran a bit green here, so improvement is likely. He'll surely win something decent this season.

COLLIER HILL AND VINTAGE PREMIUM ARE GROUP CLASS

COLLIER HILL (41) posted a seriously good speed figure to win a Listed race up at Hamilton. He's still eligible for handicaps, so Alan Swinbank must surely be thinking long and hard about the Ebor now. The concern would be that Collier Hill is probably better with a bit more cut in the ground than the Ebor provides. Personally I'd like to see Collier Hill given another shot at black type in a Group race. He ran quicker than the average Group 3 winner here by my estimates.

VINTAGE PREMIUM (41) ran yet another huge race to go under in a photo. He'd won the last three times he'd encountered yielding or softer ground on the flat (including in a valuable handicap the previous day) and showed how much he appreciates cut in the ground. He is more than good enough to take a Group race, given his ground.

BOURGOIS (39) ran a big race in third. My read of his form is that he's best in smaller fields than this. In fields of nine or less he has a tremendous record. If he runs in a small field again soon I'd be betting him.

Fourth placed PERFECT STORM (39) always seems to need three or four runs to hit from each season. Now that he has I'd be looking for him to win a decent handicap.

Another valuable handicap produced another big time when SWIFT TANGO (39) won on the Lockinge card at Newbury. He has clearly improved for the step up to middle distances and looks capable of taking a big handicap.

Runner-up COLD TURKEY (39) has posted a whole string of big speed figures while winning seven times in the last few months. Remarkably, he actually seems to be improving. All surfaces and tracks seem to come alike to him. Like Swift Tango, he's basically a Group 3 horse running in handicap company. That's what ti takes to win something like the Ebor though.

Third placed RED FORT (38) is a four year old that has had just six runs. He's looking very progressive and looks a good prospect for one of the big 12 furlong handicaps.

RUSSIAN RHYTHM (41) earned speed figures of 44, 45 and 45 from me last year but didn't come near that level when taking the Lockinge. The reason was probably the ground which, while fast, was still the slowest she's raced on. On genuinely good to firm or firmer ground she's a tough horse to beat, especially over ten furlongs. But she's surely going to encounter ground this slow or slower sometime this season, and that's when it may pay to take her on.

SALSELON (40) looked the winner until tiring close home. My read of his form is that he's basically a seven furlong horse that only lasts a mile on fast ground. Salselon is unbeaten in five tries at seven furlongs and would be an interesting candidate for the Foret later in the year. If he sticks to a mile I'd bet against him unless the ground is really fast.

CIMYLA (33) and SECRETARY GENERAL (33) continued the established 2004 theme of fast 3YO handicappers when pulling clear of their rivals to fight out the finish of a Classified stakes at Nottingham. Both are capable of winning something decent soon.

The theme was continued when PUKKA (36) posted a pattern time to take the London Gold Cup at Newbury. He apparently needed the run, like most of Cumani's do on their seasonal debut. Cumani feels Pukka will improve for the run, so I hope he lets him take his chance in the Derby rather than exploiting the horse's insanely low official rating in handicaps. On my ratings I can see Pukka running fourth or fifth at Epsom.

Second and third MARAAHEL (35) and FRANK SONATA (34) can almost certainly run a bit faster since they must have slowed each other down by engaging in a bargain match up the straight. Like the winner, I think they both deserve a shot at black type. The three year old handicappers are a freakishly strong bunch this season and we've already seen horses like Hazyview, Red Lancer and African Dreams make a successful transition from such races to score in Listed and Group company.

The fastest three year old handicapper of the week and the season so far was BENBAUN (38) who earned a monster speed figure when taking a hot little handicap at Thirsk. His trainer says he's best at five furlongs on fast ground with visors on. He's won three times out of four in these circumstances, the loss coming in Group 3 company. It's a pity there aren't more big sprints restricted to three year olds. Still, Benbaun is quick enough to beat good older handicappers, so I'd be following him in his next few starts if the going is fast enough.

LUALUA (36) ran a fast tie to finish second to what is probably a Group racer. He ought to be winning plenty of sprint handicaps, as should third and fourth JOHNNY PARKES (35) and TWO STEP KID (34).

The three year old fillies seem to be an unusually good bunch this year, and we saw another two when the exceptionally well bred pair MODESTA (37) (half sister to Reams Of Verse) and NEW MORNING (36) (sister to Islington) dueled while pulling clear of their rivals in an exceptionally fast maiden at Yarmouth. Both fillies are entered in the Ribblesdale and both look capable of winning in Group company like their siblings.

The two year old situation hasn't changed much. BLUE DAKOTA (32) replicated his best speed figure so far to win at Windsor. He looks likely to start favorite for the Norfolk stakes, and probably deserves to.

Over jumps, Foxhunters winner EARTHMOVER (37) demonstrated just why he's been able to win 13 of his 17 hunter chase starts with a classy win at Uttoxeter.

QUIFF IS SWIFT

The best Oaks Trial in the past couple of weeks was, strangely enough, run at Salisbury. The event in question was a mere maiden race, but the time suggests that the winner QUIFF (36) is a very solid Group class filly with the potential to go right to the top. This is not that surprising. A few days ago I wrote a Weekender article in which I highlighted the remarkable ability shown by horses when they are described as being a 'nice colt' or a 'nice filly' by Raceform. This description is the ultimate accolade Raceform paddock watchers can award a horse. It means that it has a perfect physique. It's the description Raceform awarded to Quiff when she ran seventh in a maiden at two on her only previous start.

Over the past decade just 12 horses have been described as being nice colts or fillies. Here is how the first 11 performed;

Phantom Creek only 2 runs - hampered when beaten four lengths in Group 3

Anabaa won Group 1

Bodyguard won Listed, 3rd Group 2

Xaar won Group 1

Karasta won Group 3, 2nd Group 1

Alexius won Group 3 on only subsequent outing

Sahara Desert Fifth by three lengths in the French Guineas

Massalani Won listed, beaten five lengths in 2000 Guineas sole loss

Kazzia Won Group 1

Coquetry Only four subsequent starts - hampered when beaten six lengths in a Group 2

Hold That Tiger Won Group 1

As you can see, every single one of the 11 was a Group class performer, with at least seven of them proving competitive in Group 1 company. Now it looks like Raceform have made it 12 out of 12! That's an extraordinary record, and shows how expert their paddock watchers are and just how important a horse's physique is.

I would rather fancy Quiff's chances in Group company next time out, whether she goes for the Ribblesdale or the Oaks. She's surely going to add to the Group winning record of 'nice' sorts sometime soon.

The Godolphin camp can count themselves very unlucky that runner up DAWN SUPRPRISE (35) ran in the same division of the maiden as Quiff. Without Quiff she would have been a wide margin winner in fast time. If she were mine I wouldn't waste time going for another maiden. This is a pattern class filly who deserves a shot at some black type next time. Of course, if she did go for a maiden she'd be something to bet on, even at odds-on.

On the same card DESERT ROYALTY (36) won a nice class C handicap in good time. She's steadily improving on my ratings and has now reached a level where she could just about take a Listed race for older fillies and mares. She'll have a much tougher time in good handicaps against males though.

This was a week where one would have hoped to have seen at least a couple of big times from classic candidates at York. But the classic trials were all either very weakly contested or slow run. So other events produced the fast times.

One of the fastest times put up at the big York meeting was run by BALKAN KNIGHT (39) who earned a solid Group 3 rating from me when winning a mile and a half handicap. He now goes for the valuable Duke Of Edinburgh handicap at Royal Ascot. I need convincing that he can reproduce this sort of form on anything but soft ground though. His trainer, David Loder, seems to think he prefers cut in the ground, just like his dam who won the Lingfield Oaks Trial on soft ground.

CRUISE DIRECTOR (39), who only just lost to Balkan Knight, may also need at least yielding ground. Certainly he appears to be a much better horse on turf than he was on the AW. Like Balkan Knight, he looks capable of landing a big handicap.

Another fast handicap winner at York was the lightly raced AUTUMN GLORY (38) who won the Listed Hambleton Rated stakes by a couple of lengths from a smart field. I note that Autumn Glory has won all three times he's run a mile and lost his other two starts at shorter trips. The Hunt Cup is an obvious target and my numbers indicate he would have a real shot in Group 3 company at least.

MONSIEUR BOND (38) put up another decent time when winning the Group 2 Duke Of York stakes over six furlongs. It is now tempting to suppose that he is just as effective at six furlongs as he is at seven. However, as I've written before (see Irish weekly reports), I'm convinced Monsieur Bond is a genuine seven furlong specialist who can only come close to his best form at six furlongs when the track is exceptionally stiff or the ground is soft enough to make it a real test of stamina. The going was genuinely soft at York, yet Monsieur Bond still ran much slower than he had over seven furlongs in Ireland by my estimates. The same horse he beat into second in Ireland by seven lengths closed the gap to just a length and a half at York. I know that Brian Smart says he's been training Monsieur Bond to run shorter trips and that the horse showed good early speed here. But on the likely faster going at Royal Ascot I'm convinced he'll get outpaced in the Golden Jubilee stakes over six furlongs. Smart told a Racing Post interviewer before York that he felt seven furlongs was probably Monsieur Bond's optimum distance. I think he's going to prove that at Ascot.

FRANK SONATA (37) continued the theme of unusually fast three year old handicappers that has developed this season when winning a class B rated stakes in exceptional time at York. He clearly appreciated the step up to ten furlongs and on my ratings deserves another shot at pattern company. Before then he can surely win any 3YO handicap his connections choose to run him in.

Similar comments apply to WOODCRACKER (36) who ran really well to go under by just a length to Frank Sonata. Derby entrants LORD MAYOR (35) and GOLDEN GRACE (35) may not be good enough to run at Epsom, but they're both well above the average 3YO handicapper and also look worth following after finishing third and fourth in this red hot race.

We're getting some pretty decent early season two year olds this year, and a lot of people are going to be betting that BLUE DAKOTA (33) is the best of them at Royal Ascot. That may prove true for he certainly ran fast when strolling home in the mud at Windsor. He'd beaten the very fast Turnkey on his debut (see earlier report below). But my speed figures endorse Mich Channon's view view that Turnkey improved a good deal for that first start. He says he wouldn't swap Turnkey for Blue Dakota and I have to say I rate Turnkey's recent win better than this effort by Blue Dakota. I'm splitting hairs though. Both Blue Dakota and Turnkey are Group class horses and will be winning at that level if they stay sound and are correctly placed.

Our old pal PUTRA PEKAN (36) did something rather interesting in the Listed Royal Windsor stakes at Windsor. He's previously won from off the pace but pulled his way to the front here when the small field weren't going fast enough for him. He ended up winning well from three rivals that I rate highly. His time wasn't particularly wonderful this time, but the fact that he can front run opens up a lot more possibilities for Putra Pekan. His trainer Mick Jarvis says that all he needs is a strong pace and a right-handed track. Now we know he can set the strong pace for himself without hurting his chances. He's won the last six times he's encountered anything but a very slow pace going right-handed and has twice posted speed figures that would win many Group 1 races. My only worry now is that his trainer has voiced concerns about Putra Pekan being best fresh. This being so I rather hope he's given a break of five or six weeks before being stepped up to Group company.

I wish Putra Pekan's race had been strongly run throughout as I suspect the time would have been tremendous. I've awarded Putra Pekan a speed figure of 43 on two occasions and the third and fourth, Excelsius and Rockets 'N Rollers have both earned 39 on one of their last two starts. So I'm betting that the second, ANCIENT WORLD (34), might well have run a speed figure around 41 in a more strongly run contest. This Godolphin recruit certainly ran well on his first UK start and apparently looked and behaved as if he'd come on for the run (his first in eight months). Ancient World is entered in the Queen Anne stakes and the Prince Of Wales, both Group 1 contests. At this point, I wouldn't like to bet that he's not up to that grade.

It's unusual to see really big speed figures in national hunt races at this time of year, and absolutely extraordinary to see them in hunter chases. So I would make very careful note of CANTARINHO (38) who clocked a time that would win just about any hunter chase, even the Foxhunters, when scoring at Huntingdon.

Cantarinho is only six but has already won a whole bunch of point to points. No doubt one of the big yards will have purchased him by next season. Meanwhile though he looks something to bet on in his next big target, the John Corbet Cup at Stratford. I'm not too concerned about the three and a half mile distance of that race. The track is tight and the going will likely be firm. The reason for Cantarinho's previous loss over an extended distance at Cheltenham may well have been the soft ground. He's certainly something to look forward to for next season. If his current connections somehow manage to hang on to him I'd be rather interested in his chances in the Foxhunters and the other big hunter chases.

Runner-up FIND ME ANOTHER (38) is another seriously fast hunter chaser. He only just went under after having been bothered by a loose horse. The problem with Find Me Another is that he really shouldn't be running in point to points and hunter chases because he doesn't truly stay three miles, the trip 99% of such races are run over. All his four point to point wins have been on fast ground. When he's encountered even yielding ground he has failed to last home, as he demonstrated when fading away like an old soldier to finish last at odds-on at Garthorpe last month. The two and a half mile distance of this race is clearly his optimum. Somebody ought to buy him and start running him in handicaps over the trip.

Another weirdly fast jumps time for the off season was put up by our old friend FULL IRISH (38) when he blasted home by eight lengths at Perth. I've mentioned before that Full Irish is small. My read of his form when I mentioned him before is that he's fine over hurdles or in bumper races but tends to get forced into jumping errors in fields bigger than 13 over fences. His record in bumpers and hurdles, or in chases with 13 runners or less now reads nine wins in 13 completed starts, and second place finishes in all his losses. Full Irish is a solid Grade 3 class chaser on my ratings. He's off till the autumn now. But I'd pay careful attention to him when he returns. His recent purple patch of form has occurred while the flat season has been in full swing. It may well have slipped under the radar for most punters who will assume that his smart record has been racked up in typical slow off season contests. They may well be in for a surprise when Full Irish takes on better horses next season.

HIDDEN HOPE HAS A BIG CHANCE IN THE RIBBLESDALE

HIDDEN HOPE (38) clearly appreciated the step up to 11f in the Cheshire Oaks. She beat a decent field in very solid time. A speed figure of 38 can win a classic for a 3YO filly (Attraction only ran 37 in the 1000 Guineas, thought that was admittedly a sub-par Group 1). So I shall be following Hidden Hope with some interest from now. Her entry in the Group 2 Ribblesdale looks a logical step. She'll go into that race fresher than most of her rivals who will have run in the Oaks, so I'd say she has a great chance of emulating the Royal Ascot win of her half sister Rebecca Sharp. Thereafter something like the Prix Vermeille would seem a good move. The Irish Oaks would also be interesting if it doesn't come too soon after Royal Ascot for her.

Another filly worth noting from the big Chester meeting is OASIS STAR (34) who showed a lot of determination to maintain her unbeaten record while recording a time I rate around Listed class for a 3YO filly. She'll surely be stepped up to pattern company soon, and if it's a Listed race, like say the Sandringham Rated stakes at Ascot, I'd rather fancy her chances.

CHARMATIC (33), like Oasis Star, is a three year old filly not far off pattern class judged on the time she ran at Beverley. The difference is that her official handicap rating going into her race was only 62. Charmatic's trainer is convinced she'll improve at longer trips and on better ground, so I would say the filly is definitely worth following. I'd regard her as unstoppable in a class D or lower handicap against her own age group.

Staying with the 3YO fillies, I have to report that ILLUSTRIOUS MISS (38) now rates as the fastest horse in this category at less than middle distances following her fast win against older horses in the Group 3 Chartwell Fillies stakes at Lingfield. Illustrious Miss is apparently unsound and hard to train. So let's hope she makes it to the Coronation stakes in good shape. She ought to have a great shot of winning that on my figures, providing she can reproduce the same form on the likely much firmer surface.

The 3YO colts produced a big time when PERCUSSIONIST (38) romped the Lingfield Derby Trial by a big margin. He apparently shows knee action and likes soft ground. His trainer, John Gosden, feels that he'll be able to handle good going at Epsom. But he also told Raceform that he felt Percussionist was more of a Leger horse. It's early days to be sure. All we can say right now is that Percussionist ran a big Group 2 time here and may well have run a point faster, taking him into Group 1 territory, if he hadn't veered across the track away from the camera car.

The 3YO colts produced a decent time in the big Lingfield handicap won by MORSE (35). Morse has won two times out of three on soft ground now, and run second to the useful Petardia's Magic the other time. His trainer told reporters Morse would be lapped on firm going. But on soft there are unlikely to be any horses in 3YO handicaps to beat him.

PETARDIAS MAGIC (35) ran second to his old rival this time, and is clearly just as well suited by a soft surface. His trainer has expressed similar concerns about firm ground, so the same provisos about the going apply to him. Like Morse, in handicaps against his own age group on soft ground Petardias Magic will be hard to beat.

The two year olds are starting to hot up. And, as usual, at this stage Aiden O'Brien seems to hold the edge when it comes to the Royal Ascot two year old races, thanks to In Excelsis and Russian Blue (see Irish weekly reports). However, Mick Channon showed that he has a juvenile just as fast when TURNKEY (35) romped through the heavy ground to win at Kempton by no less than eleven lengths.

I don't see any particular reason on pedigree why Turnkey shouldn't handle faster ground just as well. And Mick Channon apparently rates him very highly. It's just a pity his ability was made so obvious by his winning margin and his time. Then again, the reputation of the Coolmore babies may ensure he starts at decent odds in the Coventry.

I doubt that we'll see many juveniles faster than In Excelsis, Russian Blue, Turnkey or the filly Birght Moll before Royal Ascot. But John Gosden showed that he should have a decent shot in at least the Norfolk stakes, maybe the Coventry, with MYSTICAL LAND (31).

Mystical Land clocked a pattern class time when winning a pretty warm conditions race at Doncaster. Rider Frankie Dettori was very complimentary about him afterwards, and he rarely goes overboard in post-race interviews.

Runner-up BIGALOS BANDIT (30) may just be shy of pattern class. But there are few two year olds around this early with his ability, so I suspect he can win again soon.

Similar comments apply to Chester winner DANCE NIGHT (30). The caveat with him is that his trainer is convinced he'll stay further and may well improve over longer trips. If so, then he might well earn some black type.

Turning to the older horses, GARGOYLE GIRL (32) ran a good speed figure for a bottom of the barrel handicap when scooting home by a big margin at Musselburgh. She's shown that she can win on a galloping track and on firm ground. But on good or softer ground on a tight track she does seem to improve. She's won all five times she's run in these circumstances and is almost certainly capable of running a bit quicker than she did here and winning in class D or even C given her ground and the right sort of track.

At the other end of the distance scale, ageing mudlark PTARMIGAN RIDGE (41) ran a Group 3 time to take a hot rated stakes at Chester. The truth is though, there are a whole bunch of Group class horses in British sprints. That's why so many UK sprinters make a successful transition from handicaps to Group company. The big sprint handicaps are highly competitive, so Ptarmigan Ridge is going to need his ground (good to soft or softer) if he is to win his next target, a big 50,000 pound handicap at Mussleburgh. Trouble is, Musselburgh almost always provides fast ground, so I'd be looking to the old boy to spring an upset in something like the Ayr Gold Cup.

For me, the horse to take out of the race is our old friend, third placed MAKTAVISH (40) who again ran a monster speed figure after showing his usual blazing early speed. He hung right, as he has done before, and it's probable that he's just not as good going round a turn as he is up the straight. I've mentioned before that Maktavish has improved massively this year and looks a good prospect for a big sprint handicap like the Wokingham. He could well win a valuable race before that of course if he goes for the same 50,000 race Ptarmigan Ridge is shooting for at Musselburgh. Hopefully Maktavish will get a favorable draw. The last time he ran at Musselburgh he was drawn on the wrong side of the course and ran second, pulling well clear of the group that raced on his side.

A measure of how good Maktavish is can be gained from the fact that Forever Phoenix (38), a horse he'd beaten into third place last time, blew home by a big margin in fast time at Lingfield and may well now go for the Group 2 Temple stakes. Maktavish himself would be an interesting prospect for that race, but his handicap mark is so ludicrously low right now his connections really have no choice but to exploit it.

Runner-up SIMIANNA (41) is awfully hard to place. Like many fillies, she seems to come off worse in the traffic that occurs in big fields. She also seems unable to carry big weights. All her four wins have come in fields of nine or less when carrying 8-5 or lower. That's an awfully hard combination to contrive. She's shown that she can cope with 8-9 here. So, if she were mine I'd be shooting for a big handicap at one of the widest courses, putting an apprentice aboard to get her weight down and hoping that the field fans out enough to give her an unobstructed run.

Ayr Silver Cup winner NATIVE TITLE (39) finished a close fourth and one has to assume Dandy Nicholls will be shooting for something big with him next time out. I say this because horses with bleeding problems like Native Title invariably only run well on their first two starts each season (this was his first) and then need a break of at least five weeks to run well again. I imagine the plan is to win a big handicap to boost his official rating enough to get him into the Ayr Gold Cup, then rest him to bring him back fresh for that race, Sounds good to me.

Back in fifth, CORRIDOR CREEPER (39) ran most promisingly. He's never won on his seasonal debut but has won or gotten to wining half a length of the winner on his second run in each of the five seasons he has raced. I'd therefore be very careful about opposing him on his next start.

SYSTEMATIC (41) ran a solid Group 2 time to take the Ormonde stakes, so it may well be he's progressed enough to score at that level. So far he's won eight of his 11 starts below Group 2 since his juvenile days and blanked in four Group 1 and Group 2 events. If the Coronation Cup cut up badly, as it often does, and attracted a sub-par field, he might even win a Group 1.

THE WHISTLING TEAL (40) is eight but is clearly as good as ever. He scored his Group win at Newbury and looks set to return there for a Listed race, the Ashton Park stakes. He ought to win that, though I concede he's going to be tough to place thereafter as there are usually one or two better than him in Group contests.

OUIJA BOARD SPELLS OUT BIG CLASSIC CLUE

The 1000 Guineas was run last Sunday but the best filly on display at Newmarket was undoubtedly OIJA BOARD (41) who put up a sensational time to win the Pretty Polly stakes by six lengths.

There is no question in my mind that Ouija Board is the best three year old filly in Europe. She earned the sort of speed rating that very few 3YO fillies have merited, especially this early in the season. I suspect that time will prove she's capable of beating colts in Group 1 company.

The big question facing the connections of Ouija Board now is whether to go for the Epsom Oaks over a mile and a half or the Prix de Diane over ten and a half furlongs. It's a tough call, but on balance I'd favour the French race as Ouija Board's pedigree backs up the concerns of her trainer Ed Dunlop concerning her ability to get 12 furlongs.

Ouija Board's dam has produced stayers by sprint sires and sprinters from middle distance stallions. It's hard to discern a consistent influence for speed or stamina in her progeny. But she's a sister to Teleprompter, a mile champion who stretched his stamina to ten furlongs in the Arlington Million. Ouija Board's sire is Cape Cross, another champion miler. His oldest runners are only three, so it's not easy to be sure how far they'll stay. But the furthest they've won so far is a mile and a quarter. So again the concern over stamina is there.

I have a motto; 'a horse is at its most effective at the outermost limits of its stamina'. I can't believe that Ouija Board is ever going to run faster than she did in the Pretty Polly stakes over ten furlongs - in other words, she was at her most effective in this race, so I'm inclined to say that she will not last the Oaks distance. The doubts voiced by her trainer and raised by her pedigree make it a trifecta in terms of stamina concerns. As a result, I'm hoping Ouija Board heads to France and not to Epsom. If she goes to Epsom I'll have to force myself to oppose her, despite the huge speed figure I gave her here.

SAHOOL (36) and RAVE REVIEWS (36) chased Ouija Board home. They both look rather more likely to stay the Oaks trip on pedigree. The Racing Post reported that both ran green before staying on late. This suggests that improvement is likely, especially over a longer trip in something like the Lingfield Oaks Trial.

HAAFHD (40) earned a solid Group 1 speed figure for a 3YO at this time of year when taking the 2000 Guineas. He sets the standard for the other three year old milers to aim at and his logical target is the St James' Palace stakes at Royal Ascot. The thing is, his pedigree suggests that he'll probably get ten furlongs. In addition, he's trained by Barry Hills who has a knack of getting horses to stay just that bit further than their pedigrees say they should.

I'm not saying it's a mistake to have taken Haafhd out of the Derby. But I rather suspect that at some point he's going to show a mile may be too short for him in anything but a very fast run race like this one was. The St James' Palace stakes often attracts a small field and is frequently run at a slow pace early on. I can see Haafhd getting outpaced when the gallop is stepped up and then staying on too late to get there - just as happened in the Dewhurst stakes.

My bet is that Haafhd will lose at Royal Ascot but win again when meeting a stiffer test of stamina, either at ten furlongs or in the QEII, a race that's always run at a strong pace.

Runner-up Snow Ridge (38) is going to run in the Epsom Derby. But you'll notice I haven't put his name in capitals as a horse I think is worth following. There are two reasons for this. First, the statistics show that nowadays horses which prep over a mile don't win the Derby. Second, although he's out of a staying dam, Snow Ridge is by Indian Ridge, a sire whose progney rarely get the Derby distance.

According to query I ran on Raceform Interactive, 26 of Indian Ridge's fastest 27 offspring were best at ten furlongs or less. Only one, High Pitched, managed to stay a mile and a half in pattern company.

My theory is that horses are much more speedily bred than they used to be, and if you train them to run short trips by racing them at a mile or less they have little chance of lasting a mile and a half. Over the last 11 years, 43 horses have prepped for the Derby by running over a mile or less. They all lost on the big day and all of them subsequently proved best over less than 12 furlongs. I have to bet this is what will happen with Snow Ridge.

One interesting horse to come out of the race is WHIPPER (36). Robert Collet's charge ran as fast as Haahd did here when winning by eight lengths on his seasonal debut. Most people will now say he doesn't get a mile after this defeat. However, I have a different view.

I note from Whipper's form that he has won all four times he's run beyond the minimum distance on soft or heavy ground. If he runs on such a surface again I'll gladly bet him to beat any three year old at a mile. I will also be rather interested in his chances if he steps up to nine or ten furlongs on any going. Whipper's dam was a dual Listed winner at a mile and a half, and all her other four foals, including Whipper's brother, were middle distance horses. It could well be that the reason Whipper has run best on soft ground is that it produces the kind of stamina test he needs to prevail at the short distances he's run over. At longer distances he may not need a soft surface.

The 1000 Guineas was a tad disappointing in terms of the clock. The runners all finished in a heap and the winner, Attraction (37), earned a speed rating that is very ho hum indeed. She actually ran quicker at two. If she's kept to Group 1 company I'd bet against her winning again. The Guineas is often like an extension to the two year old campaign of the previous year, and I'd say Attraction just hasn't moved forward a bit since that time. Other fillies are probably going to improve past her.

There's nothing wrong with the horses that placed in the 1000 Guineas though. SUNDROP (37) and HATHRAH (36) are both bred for longer and did well to finish so close over a mile. Sundrop is a logical candidate for the Epsom Oaks while Hathrah seems a reasonable proposition for the Prix de Diane. Both will need to improve to win their target races but on pedigree that's perfectly possible.

STEENBERG (41) earned the biggest recent speed figure by an older horse in the UK when blasting home by a big margin in a hot conditions sprint at Haydock. I'd thought he was a good thing to win on his seasonal debut the run before because he had shown phenomenal progress on the clock throughout last season, ending up by earning a Group 1 speed figure from me. However, he had a bit of trouble in running that day and ended up running second to Monsieur Bond.

I awarded Monsieur Bond a big Group 1 speed figure when he beat Steenberg, and I now believe he is the best seven furlong horse in Europe (see Irish weekly reports). Steenberg is pretty nifty too. Indeed, he is now five, the prime age for most sprinters, and he is continuing the progress in speed figures he began last term. He could very well end up being champion sprinter this year.

I see that Steenberg is entered in the Group 2 Duke Of York stakes at York. I think he's a good bet to win that race even though his old conqueror Monsieur Bond is also entered. Monsieur Bond is a far better horse at seven furlongs in my opinion. At six furlongs Steenberg should be able to reverse placing's with him.

Britain seems to be heavily overstocked with smart three year old handicappers right now. We saw yet another one when REDWOOD ROCKS (33) made all to win a decent class C affair up at Musselburgh. I guess his most logical target would be the Brittania Handicap. Certainly he ought to be capable of winning again soon.

MASTER MARVEL (34) is one more three year old to run a big time in a handicap. There are so many fast three year old handicappers around that he's going to find it hard to avoid them. But he may well be quick enough to extend his winning run.

The older handicappers haven't produced anything like as many big speed ratings. But BLUE SPINNAKER (39) earned a Group 3 figure from me when winning the Thirsk Hunt Cup in good style. It would seem his trainer is right in saying the horse has improved this season. He should have a big chance of following up in another big handicap at York. In fact, I'd give him a real chance of winning in Listed or even Group 3 company