Fixture list to blame for unsatisfactory make up of 6f races

When Starman burst onto the sprinting scene in Wednesday’s Duke of York Stakes, in which he beat the winners of an Ayr Gold Cup, July Cup, Stewards’ Cup and Prix Maurice de Gheest, most racing fans were given reason to smile.

Yet on Monday, that smile was chased away when last year’s Group 1 Sprint Cup winner Dream Of Dreams made his seasonal reappearance against just two rivals – the best of which was rated 12lb inferior. This came in a £40,000 Listed race at Windsor. For finishing third, the 106-rated Dubai Station won £4,304.

To put it into context, Ventura Rebel (108) and Art Power (114) won just £2,690 and £1,350 for finishing fifth and sixth in the 12-runner Duke of York.

So why did just three horses run for such significant reward at Windsor in an era where prize-money is under the microscope more than ever? And why were more horses prepared to compete at York?

Starman: looked a sprinter for the future in the Duke Of York Stakes at York last weekCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

Is it down to the location of the racecourses? Is it because Windsor and York’s six furlongs offer vastly different challenges? Or is it because trainers and owners would rather opt for a different experience at a premier track?

On social media, one commentator argued that the reason only three horses were declared at Windsor was due to Dream Of Dreams frightening them off.

To that person, I ask: Why were so few scared off by Oxted in the Duke of York, a horse rated just 1lb lower?

As is often the case the answer may lie in the detail, so let’s take a closer look.

There were three British-trained, six-furlong, non-juvenile horses given a Racing Post Rating of higher than 120 last season. Another seven were rated higher than 115. Another 11 had marks above 110.

Of those, Hello Youmzain, Golden Horde and One Master have now been retired.

In 2010, two horses were rated higher than 120 and another five higher than 115. However, most crucially, there were another 26 with marks in excess of 110. This is more than double the horses currently racing within that ratings band.

In 2000, there were 18 horses rated between 110 and 115. This is almost a 64 per cent increase on the current figure.

From this we can conclude the top end of the sprinting division is not what it was.

This is compounded by the fact three-year-olds have their own age-restricted races at this stage of the season.

Dream Of Dreams: faced two vastly inferior rivals at Windsor on MondayCredit: Pool

On Saturday, the three-year-olds had the Listed Carnarvon Stakes at Newbury, and on Sunday in Ireland they had the Group 3 Lacken Stakes. This Saturday they will have the opportunity to run in the Group 3 Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock.

That is without factoring in gender, as the fillies and mares will have the opportunity to run against their own sex in Friday’s Group 3 Cecil Frail at Haydock.

Many of those top three-year-olds will be working backwards from the Commonwealth Cup, a race which was introduced at Royal Ascot in 2015.

The race, as excellent a spectacle as it is, has naturally diluted the quality of the Diamond Jubilee Stakes over the same distance.

From 1971 to 2015 the contest was won by a three-year-old on 19 occasions. It is now restricted to four-year-olds and upwards.

One of the reasons why there are and will continue to be so many unsatisfactory races over six furlongs these days is because the horse population is not what it was. There are simply too many options for far too few horses.

It may not always be directly to blame, but ultimately the current fixture list is helping British racing to be turned into a mockery.
Sadly, if you enjoy watching and betting on competitive sport this is no laughing matter.

Toronado making his mark as sire

If you haven’t already noticed from this column, I am an avid bloodstock fan.

I am very much enjoying watching offspring of the first-season sires this campaign, but one sire in particular has caught my eye of late and he could have another good week or so coming up.

Dawn Approach sired a Classic winner in Poetic Flare and, for all his old foe Toronado hasn’t quite managed that, I’ve been impressed with his progeny so far.

His best is Royal Ascot winner Tactical, who returned this season with a win in the Listed Free Handicap, but he has also had his fair share of capable handicappers too. Toro Strike, Global Heat and Almufti come to mind, while Illykato won a Listed race for him at Goodwood at the start of the month.

Toronado is also starting to make his mark elsewhere. Masked Crusader won a Group 1 in Australia in March, while Tribhuvan won the Grade 2 Fort Marcy Stakes at Belmont Park on the same day Illykato won.

Bullace: could be a future star for ToronadoCredit: Mark Cranham

The horse of his to watch this week will be Bullace, a three-time winner out of the Fred Darling winner Redstart who is entered in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown on Thursday.

The form of his last win at Newmarket has worked out brilliantly with the second Crossford subsequently winning by three lengths, and the third Wobwobwob bolting up in a three-year-old handicap at York last week.

Bullace holds an entry in the St James’s Palace Stakes, so connections clearly think a lot of him, and he will need to show up well at Sandown to take up that engagement.

Toronado may not be a fancy sire who has gained a lot of support, but he is proving really solid and is arguably decent value for his fee.

Read more from Maddy Playle:

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He's among the best in the world – so where is the love for Golden Sixty?

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