Babouche (pink cap) masters Whistlejacket in the Phoenix Stakes
Timeform ratings analysis | Babouche and a strong crop of juvenile fillies
By Tony McFadden
19:00 · MON August 12, 2024
Tony McFadden provides the Timeform ratings reaction following Babouche's victory in the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
Only once this century has a filly finished the season as Timeform's outright highest-rated juvenile - that was Lady Aurelia (127) in 2016 - but the females are dominating the current pecking order.
Bedtime Story, the nine-and-a-half-length winner of the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot, is Timeform's highest-rated two-year-old with a rating of 116p, but her Ballydoyle stablemate Fairy Godmother, who overcame trouble in running to win the Albany Stakes, has been joined in second spot by Phoenix Stakes winner Babouche (replay below) on a rating of 112p.
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The Phoenix Stakes hadn't been won by a filly since La Collina triumphed in 2011, but Babouche raised her game to quicken past the standard-setting Whistlejacket to extend her unbeaten record to three and give trainer Ger Lyons a second victory in the race (Siskin ran to a similar level when successful in 2019).
The highest-rated juvenile colt is still Aidan O'Brien's Railway Stakes winner Henri Matisse on 110p, while Charlie Appleby's Superlative Stakes winner Ancient Truth is only narrowly behind on 109p. It's possible they could clash in the National Stakes at the Curragh next month which would give both colts a good opportunity to reach a higher level.
Whistlejacket, who was conceding a 3 lb sex allowance to Babouche, may have been beaten in the Phoenix Stakes but gave a good account of himself and advanced his rating to 109 (from 106p).
Adding further strength in depth among the fillies is emphatic Sweet Solera Stakes winner Lake Victoria (107p from 93p, replay below). She comfortably coped with the step up in class at Newmarket and will surely have one of the top fillies' races in the autumn on her agenda. Like Bedtime Story and Fairy Godmother, she is trained by Aidan O'Brien.
Bedtime Story was seemingly the yard's second choice on debut at Leopardstown but she produced an impressive turn of foot under a hands-and-heels ride to register a stylish length-and-a-quarter victory over her shorter-price stablemate Giselle.
Bedtime Story was sent off a red-hot favourite for the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot on the back of such a display and she justified that market confidence with an extraordinary display as she powered nine and a half lengths clear in a good time. She didn't have to be at that level to make the most of a simple opportunity in the Silver Flash Stakes back at Leopardstown last month and this daughter of Frankel out of dual Nunthorpe winner Mecca's Angel remains a most exciting prospect.
Babouche looked like a filly sure to make an impact in a higher grade when bolting up by five lengths in a fillies' maiden at Cork in June and she confirmed that excellent impression when beating the boys in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes at the Curragh last month.
Babouche impressed with the determined attitude she showed to prevail in the Anglesey and she again looked most straightforward when showing improved form to follow up in the Phoenix Stakes, this time also deploying a notable turn of foot to quicken past a useful rival in Whistlejacket.
Fairy Godmother was the first filly Aidan O'Brien introduced this season but, despite being heavily supported into odds of 4/7, she shaped as if in need of the experience and had to settle for second at Naas.
Fairy Godmother duly progressed with that outing under her belt and reversed the form in the Group 3 Fillies Sprint Stakes, doing well to win after conceding first run, and she took another huge step forward to overcome a nightmare passage in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot. She had no room at all over two furlongs out but made rapid headway after being switched to get a clear run and powered home to score by three-quarters of a length, proving far superior than that margin might suggest.
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