Which juvenile beat Blackbeard and Lezoo to performance of the week?

The Racing Post's awards honour the best (and sometimes worst) performances and raise talking points from the last seven days of racing. This week's winners are . . .

Performance of the week

Commissioning

There were plenty of top performances to enjoy over the last seven days – Blackbeard in the Middle Park, Lezoo in the Cheveley Park, Crypto Force in the Beresford and Nostrum in the Tattersalls Stakes to name a few – but the most impressive came from the horse with arguably most potential, Commissioning.

There was plenty to like about her debut win on the July course two months ago, but being thrown into Group company on just her second start was a very stiff task.

However, John and Thady Gosden had the faith and the Kingman filly repaid that in spades as she made it look easy in the Rockfel Stakes. Expect her to be a major contender for next year's 1,000 Guineas, for which she is as short as 6-1 with several major bookmakers.

Trainer of the week

Mick Channon

There were trainers who had more winners and a better strike-rate during the week than Mick Channon, but his one success came in a race that mattered more than most as his Majestic proved exactly that in the Cambridgeshire.

This four-year-old had made his debut only in March, in a bumper at Kempton no less, and expectations can't have been high when he was priced up at 125-1 for his first Flat start in a maiden at Chepstow two months later. However, he impressed that day and has been superbly campaigned since. This was by far his biggest test, but Channon had him primed to perfection and was aided by an expert ride by 5lb claimer Aidan Keeley. Hats off to all.

Jockey of the week

Sean Levey

A tumultuous week for the Classic-winning rider ended in vindication as a positive saliva test for amphetamines that had seen him miss out on eight days of rides was proved to be false, and he returned with a bang with three winners over two days at Haydock.

His first came in a dramatic race on Friday, where all sorts of in-running shenanigans seriously hampered Double Cherry's chances and nine times out of ten would have led to defeat, only for Levey to re-energise his mount and find a gap through which he grabbed the lead at the death.

It was an excellent ride, and one matched by the dignified way in which he spoke about his eventful week afterwards, when he calmly urged the BHA to rethink its clearly unreliable testing protocols.

Sean Levey returns to the winner's enclosure on Pentland Hills, one of the rider's three victories at Haydock's two-day meetingCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

Race of the week

Kerry National

Chepstow's early October fixture traditionally marks the start of the jumps season proper, but for the real enthusiasts Listowel's harvest festival and the Kerry National is when the juices start flowing – and what a treat we were served up this year.

JJ Slevin and Busselton, who gave Joseph O'Brien back-to-back Kerry National victories, made all for a stunning success, but that told only half the story as he was pushed all the way by Galway Plate winner and topweight Hewick, who looked to be getting on top approaching the last only to stumble and unseat Jordan Gainford in heartbreaking fashion.

It was a race of endless thrills and spills, and if it's a portent of what's to come this winter then it could be a special season.

Read more from The Last Word:

Middle Park form looks sound with Blackbeard third in juvenile colt standings

How David Probert kept things smooth on The Foxes in 'messy' Royal Lodge

Catch our in-depth review of the weekend's racing every Monday in the Racing Post. With big-race analysis from Classic-winning jockey George Baker, Chris Cook's take on the weekend action, eyecatchers from the Raceform team, weekly awards and much more, it is not to be missed.