Sands of time suggest Mali is a top two-year-old in the making

York review

There were a host of magical performances at York last week and on the clock Ulysses (118) took pride of place in Wednesday's Juddmonte International.

Heavy rain prior to racing had turned the ground good to soft and rail realignment added 32 yards to the advertised race distance, so under the circumstances his time of 2min 12.11sec – 5.11sec slower than standard – was commendable.

After applying the going allowance, he merited a career-best Topspeed figure of 118, which put the three-year-olds firmly in their place.

Earlier in the day, Cracksman enjoyed a resounding success in the Betway Great Voltigeur in a time of 2min 34.65sec.

He also covered 32 yards more than advertised and his silky-smooth display warranted a lifetime-best 112 on the stopwatch.

Conditions were pretty much ideal by Saturday when Sands Of Mali (100) earned the best juvenile figure of the week with an authoritative success in the Al Basti Equiworld Gimcrack Stakes.

Never headed, Richard Fahey's juvenile claimed some decent scalps when stretching clear and the filly he beat on his previous start at Nottingham, Eirene, has won a Listed race at Newbury in the interim.

He is entered for the Middle Park Stakes and would be hard to beat.

Richard Hannon's Tangled could be the other two-year-old to take out of the meeting after landing Thursday’s Goffs Premier Yearling Stakes.

Bonus-laden sales races are often difficult to asses, with two-year-olds of varying abilities meeting at weights determined by their sales price and some youngsters often punching above their weight, but this race was run in a quicker time than the Group 2 Sky Bet Lowther Stakes over course and distance 35 minutes later, suggesting the form is reliable.

Tangled earned a speed rating of 95, marginally better than Threading (93), who maintained her unbeaten record with a decisive win in the Lowther.

Enable (102) earned the best figures of Thursday's card with a wide-margin victory in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks and is a worthy favourite for the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Chantilly in October.

The ground had dried out to good for Friday's keenly anticipated Coolmore Nunthorpe and, although the expected match did not materialise, Marsha (117) was a worthy winner.

Successful in the Prix de l'Abbaye last season, Sir Mark Prescott's golden girl had been below her best when beaten by Lady Aurelia and Battaash earlier in the season but proved she is a top-notch sprinter and a match for anyone on her day when reeling in Lady Aurelia in the last stride.

Saturday's Melrose Stakes, confined to three-year-olds, and Betfred Ebor were run over identical trips and produced an interesting time comparison.

Ebor winner Nakeeta covered the 1m6f trip in 2min 26.54sec, beating standard by 0.26sec, and was 0.73sec quicker than Secret Advisor, who won the Melrose in game fashion. However, factoring in weight-for-age and allowing for the respective weights carried, both winners emerge with a Topspeed mark of 98.

Secret Advisor, relatively lightly raced, may well prove better in the future and could be contesting Cup races for Godolphin next year.

TIME WATCH

Under the anchor of top-weight, Clon Coulis (94) produced a really eyecatching performance at Hamilton on Friday and David Barron’s improving sprinter remains of interest.

TIME WARP

Novoman (92) had plenty in hand when scoring at Goodwood on Sunday and a hat-trick could be on the cards for William Haggas’s progressive three-year-old.

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Dave EdwardsTopspeed

Published on 30 August 2017inHorse racing tips

Last updated 12:42, 30 August 2017

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