NAKHEEL IS TOP CLASS

Mark Johnston has a serious classic prospect on his hands in NAKHEEL (39). The Derby entry took his record to two wins from two starts when sluicing home by four lengths in the Listed Silver Tankard at Pontefract.

Given mark Johnston's ability to train horses to stay and the fact that the mile of this on testing ground at Pontefract takes some getting it's hard not to see Nakheel as a middle distance prospect for next season. Right now Johnston is saying he plans to keep Nakheel to a mile but I'm expecting to see the horse take up his engagement in the Derby next year. In fact, on the evidence of this run, Nakheel is one of the best prospects we've seen for that race all season. I awarded him a big Group 1 speed rating for this effort.

If he were mine I'd be thinking in terms of the Group 1 Criterium de Saint Cloud over ten furlongs for Nakheel. But he's actually owned by Hamdan Al Makhtoum so I imagine there's a real chance he'll be taken over by Godolphin for next season.

SHAHIN LOOKS A SOLID DERBY PROSPECT

This has been Hamdan Al Makhtoum's week for Derby prospects. Soon after his Nakheel won in sensational time at Pontefract another of his colts SHAHIN (39) ran equally fast to take a mile maiden at Newbury.

Shanin had finished second to Winged Cupid on his previous start, despite being slow into his stride. That form started to look really good the very next day when Winged Cupid ran second in the Racing Post Trophy. Group 1 races like that are where Shain now belongs if my speed ratings are any guide. Certainly I wouldn't want to put anyone off betting him ante-post for the Derby off this effort. It was a tremendous performance.

Runner-up SUPASEUS (36) powered nine lengths clear of the third in a big field and also looks worth following.

RACING POST TROPHY WAS SLOW

I'm going to be treating the form of the Racing Post trophy with a good deal of suspicion. The winner Palace Episode (34) hadn't run particularly fast previously and didn't do so when taking the big race. It could well be that he was simply the only horse that handled the heavy ground. Long term I'd bet on the runner-up Winged Cupid and third placed Septimus proving better.

DAY FLIGHT RUNS A GROUP 1 TIME YET AGAIN

It must be frustrating to own a top class horse that needs soft ground like DAY FLIGHT (42). You are always going to be at the mercy of the weather and will have a hard time planning a sensible campaign.

Last week Day Flight showed what he can do by recording a Group 1 time once more to take the St Simon Stakes at Newbury.

Hopefully next season Day Flight will be able to find a Group 1 race run on soft ground at some stage. If he does I wouldn't care to oppose him. He ranks right up there with Shirocco as one of the best mudlarks in Europe.

Runner-up SELF DEFENSE (41) is a very smart horse over hurdles and on the flat. I can see him springing a surprise against one of the top hurdlers in a conditions race sometime this winter, just like he did when beating Rooster Booster last term.

KHYBER KIM IS A NAME TO REMEMBER

KHYBER KIM (39) recorded a seriously fast time when taking a good ten furlong handicap at Newbury. His only loss in three outings to date came when he finished second to Echo Of Light when that one ran what I rated as a Group 1 time at Doncaster.

My speed ratings suggest that Khyber Kim is a Group 3 horse at least and a great prospect for next season.

REVERENCE IS ONE OF THE TOP SPRINTERS OVER FIVE FURLONGS

REVERENCE (42) earned a huge speed rating from me when running away with a five furlong sprint handicap at Doncaster. He has now won all four times he's raced over the minimum distance. And even with a big penalty he'll still be ludicrously well handicapped following this run. This being so I'd bet on trainer Eric Alston placing Reverence to win one of the top five furlong handicaps on one of his next few starts. Following that I'd expect the horse to prove competitive in Group company. Long term, given his liming for soft ground, I'd see Reverence as a fascinating prospect for next season's Prix Abbaye.

GREY PLOVER IS WORTH FOLLOWING

The good three year olds have normally graduated out of maiden company. But we undoubtedly saw a smart member of the classic generation in GREY PLOVER (37) when she took what looks like a freakishly strong maiden for this time of year at Newcastle.

Grey Plover is obviously a very progressive filly. She was entered in a listed race soon after this win, though she didn't take up the engagement. I'd watch out for her in that sort of contest soon.

Runner-up SAMURAI WAY (36) did well to give such a smart winner a run for her money, and pulled eight lengths clear of the third while doing so. This Godolphin colt was making his racecourse debut and should therefore improve for the experience. He'd be a slam dunk to win an ordinary maiden in the near future and would be worth betting in a decent handicap.

CHILLING PLACE AND CORNISH SET ARE SMART NOVICE CHASERS

CHILLING PLACE (42) and CORNISH SETT (42) fought out a tight finish for a seriously fast novice chase at Exeter. Both are Cheltenham Festival prospects according to my speed ratings.

Chilling Place had actually won before over fences. This was when he took his sole point to point start at Kilmoganny in Ireland on fast ground last year. That run indicates Chillin Place can stay further than the two and a quarter miles of this race. But he doesn't need to for now. There are plenty of novice chases to be won at shorter trips and I can see Chilling Place developing into a solid Arkle prospect.

Cornish Sett has a proper old fashioned chasing pedigree and is clearly bred to get three miles plus. This being so he did tremendously well on what was his chasing debut to run so fast at such a short distance. Okay he did appear to try and run out before the last. But inexperienced horses do all sorts of odd things. At this stage he looks a very interesting candidate for future races like the Feltham and the Sun Alliance Chase.

MANSTON IS BETTER THAN A HANDICAPPER

MANSTON (36) earned a pattern class speed rating from me when taking what looked like a rather strong nursery at York. He’s already shown that he can stay seven furlongs so it looks likely that he’s not simply one of those juvenile speedballs that will fail by being forced to take on older horses too soon over five and six furlongs. He ought to prove competitive in big handicaps and Listed company on this showing.

ROSS COMM GOING THE ‘RIGHT’ WAY

ROSS COMM (36) ran a good time when running away with a minor handicap chase at Ayr. And my sped ratings say he can run a fair bit faster. He actually earned one of the biggest speed ratings I awarded a novice chaser last season when scoring at Worcester. And I think the reason he failed to score a couple of times afterwards was that he ran on tight left-handed courses. He's jumped to the right in a couple of starts and horses that do that invariably prefer right-handed courses. If they can handle left-handed tracks it's usually only ones with easy turns like Worcester.

Ross Comm has dotted up in all three of his UK starts on galloping left-handed courses. Here he showed his appreciation for a right-handed track. I can see him developing into a contender for a decent handicap like the racing Post Chase. Meanwhile he’s still eligible for races well below his true class, so I see him winning again soon.

WET LIPS SHOWS DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT

WET LIPS (40) won a Listed race on the flat in Australia but took just one of his 16 outings over hurdles. However, now that he’s been switched to chasing he seems to have bounced right back to his best. In fact last week at Carlisle he earned a speed rating from me that would win most Grade 2 chases.

Wet Lips probably needs firm ground to run his best. When he gets it I’d be wary of opposing him because his official handicap ratings understates his ability by a big margin if the clock is anything to go by.

Stablemate BILL’S ECHO (39) did well to run a good second to Wet Lips and has also improved markedly according to my speed ratings. I’d expect him to be franking this form soon.

PINPOINT IS WORTH NOTING

PINPOINT (38) blasted home by three lengths in a good handicap at Salisbury in pattern class time last Saturday and looks the sort to take a big handicap next year. His jockey, Ted Durcan, said after the race that he’s a weak horse who should strengthen up an improve over the winter. If he runs again this year I’d bet on him following up this success.

HIGH BRAY CAN WIN AGAIN

HIGH BRAY (36) ran third to a Group racer on his racecourse debut over seven furlongs. Now that he’s returned to that distance he’s once more showing smart from. He won for the second time in a row at the trip at Salisbury last Saturday, earning a speed rating from me that suggests he’s still very well handicapped despite his big rise in the weights this year.

No doubt High Bray is going to attract some decent bids at the forthcoming Horses In Training sale. Whoever gets him will have a horse that’s capable of winning again soon on their hands – especially if he’s kept to seven furlongs.

BALTHAZAR’S GIFT A SMART TWO YEAR OLD

BALTHAZAR’S GIFT (37) won the Rockingham Stakes in good time from the useful Masta Plasta (34). He’s now won both times that he’s had a bit of cut in the ground, and this is the way his new trainer Kevin Ryan says he likes it. He told reporters that the horse is a bit straight in front and therefore dislikes racing on firm ground. This is understandable. Horses that are straight in front hit the ground hard. They are also normally best at short sprint trips. So I wouldn’t want to bet on Balthazar’s Gift lasting longer than the six furlongs he ran here. Nonetheless he ran fast enough to merit consideration in better company.

IRIS’S GIFT IS PROBABLY JUST AS GOOD OVER FENCES

IRIS’S GIFT (38) earned a very good speed rating for a novice chaser when scoring at Bangor. He’s apparently a lazy sort who only does just enough to win, so it will be interesting to see how fast he can run when pressed by better rivals than he faced here. I strongly suspect that he’s going to prove just as good over hurdles as he was over fences. He’s already earned a speed rating that marks him out as one of the fastest novice chasers.

Runner-up MONTGERMONT (36) ought to be franking the form soon. He pulled hard and made mistakes on what was his jumping debut. Nonetheless he ended up running a good deal quicker than the average novice chase winner.