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Timeform ratings update, including Dante winner Economics

By Timeform

Horse Racing

Mon May 20, 2024 · 6M ago

Timeform highlight six promising horses who improved their ratings significantly in the last week.

ECONOMICS (121p from 94p)

As an impressive six-length winner of the Dante Stakes, the premier Derby trial, Economics would be a leading contender for Epsom were it not for the fact that he was taken out of the Derby at the latest entry stage and would now need supplementing to get back in.

Trainer William Haggas had expressed doubts about his suitability for handling the track at Epsom, though his stamina looks one less thing to worry about now given the way he stormed clear of his rivals at York stepping up from a mile for the first time, in keeping with the dam’s side of his pedigree.

Whether or not Economics turns up at Epsom after all, there’s loads to like about him, suggesting a summer performing at the highest level is very much on the cards. Following his win in a maiden over a mile at Newbury last month, Economics found huge improvement whilst still looking pretty raw in front on what was just his third start after all, giving a six-length beating to the favourite, last season’s Futurity Trophy winner Ancient Wisdom.

With the timefigure supporting a positive view of Economics' performance, the Irish Derby (his Dante win earned him a free entry) might be a more appealing target than Epsom.

DIAMOND RAIN (105p from 87P)

York’s Musidora Stakes had the highest profile of the week’s Oaks trials and its winner Secret Satire was a significant improver (103p from 91p) but so too was Godolphin’s Diamond Rain, successful in the listed Fillies’ Trial Stakes which closed Newbury’s Lockinge card, with a still better performance.

Despite being a daughter of Oaks winner Dancing Rain, Diamond Rain doesn’t currently hold an Epsom entry herself but is in the Irish equivalent and is likely to stay the extra two furlongs even if this race was more of a test of speed than stamina.

Confirming the promise of her successful debut over a mile at Ascot earlier in the month, Diamond Rain duly showed significant improvement, travelling well and showing the best turn of foot to win readily from favourite Ejaabiyah.

Four of the last five winners of this contest have gone on to Group 1 success, Warm Heart being the most recent, and Diamond Rain looks sure to go on to better things herself.

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GREGORY (121p from 115p)

Tower of London was a disappointing favourite for Friday’s Yorkshire Cup which was won for the second year running by Giavellotto who was a clear-cut winner from Vauban who ran as though needing his first run since the Melbourne Cup.

However, it was third-placed Gregory, who finished a place behind Tower of London when fifth in last year’s St Leger and hadn’t run since, who shaped with the most encouragement in finishing less than a length behind the runner-up.

Still with potential after just six starts, Gold Cup entry Gregory looks sure to do better faced with longer distances as he was initially unable to quicken under a patient ride but began to make headway under pressure from over a furlong out and stuck to his task. It’s worth noting too that he was carrying the same weight as the older pair who beat him, whereas Timeform’s weight-for-age scale says four-year-olds should be getting 3 lb from their elders over a mile and three quarters at this time of year.

Gregory will still need to improve again though to master an on-song Kyprios (a Group 3 winner at Leopardstown the same day) or, for that matter, the same connections’ 2023 Gold Cup winner Courage Mon Ami.

KING’S GAMBIT (114p from 97p)

Newbury’s London Gold Cup is invariably one of the strongest middle-distance handicaps for three-year-olds, often being won by colts who have gone to score in pattern company, including the likes of Al Kazeem, Time Test and Headman all trained by Roger Charlton.

Son Harry looks like keeping up that Beckhampton record with really exciting prospect King’s Gambit who was an impressive winner of the latest renewal, which included six last-time-out winners, and in a good time too.

A tall colt with scope who’d finished second to the now smart Bracken’s Laugh in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark at the same track on his final start at two, King’s Gambit made his BHA mark of 93 look woefully inadequate in running away with the London Gold Cup by four lengths, quickening clear once produced to lead over a furlong out on a first try at a mile and a quarter.

He’s very much one to follow.

Kings Gambit is away and clear in the London Gold Cup

MOUNTAIN BREEZE (98p from 90p), FAIRY GODMOTHER (98p from 86p)

These two fillies moved to the top of the ante-post lists for the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot after their respective wins for top stables at the weekend, Mountain Breeze taking her record for Charlie Appleby to two out of two with her win in a novice at Newmarket on Saturday, while the next day Fairy Godmother went one better than on her debut when recording the same rating in the Group 3 Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas for Aidan O’Brien.

Closely related to her stable’s top-class two-year-old Pinatubo (a Royal Ascot winner himself in the Chesham), Mountain Breeze looked a potential Albany winner stepping up to six furlongs at Newmarket where her bare margin of victory didn’t do justice to her superiority, looking an exciting prospect in winning with plenty in hand.

Fairy Godmother had found Sparkling Sea too good on her debut but showed the greater improvement to turn the tables on that filly this time, all the rage in the betting to do so, although still green when asked for her effort and having to come round the leading pair to get up late for a neck win. She too is open to plenty more progress.

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