Tony McFadden highlights four winners in the last week who took a step forward on form and improved their Timeform rating.
Chateau (Timeform rating 104p from 95p)
Rose Bowl Stakes (Listed), 6f, Newbury, Friday 15 July
The form of the Windsor Castle Stakes was already working out but it now looks very strong following some significant boosts in the last week. Royal Ascot winner Little Big Bear cemented his position towards the top of this season's juvenile crop with a wide-margin win in the Group 3 Anglesey Stakes, while third-placed Eddie's Boy bossed his rivals to land the Super Sprint.
Chateau, who was fourth at Royal Ascot, also did his bit for the form when landing the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury on Friday, winning with more in hand than the margin of a length would suggest.
Chateau had shown run-by-run improvement and he continued that theme at Newbury, confirming himself a useful sprinter as he readily quickened past the well-backed favourite Rogue Lightning in a race not run at a flat-out gallop. That was Chateau's first start at six furlongs and he might have even more to offer at that trip in a strongly-run race.
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Grocer Jack (124 from 117)
Steventon Stakes (Listed), 1¼m, Newbury, Saturday 16 July
Grocer Jack was a smart performer in Germany for Waldemar Hickst and he raised his game on just his third start for William Haggas, galloping his rivals into the ground in the listed Steventon Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.
Grocer Jack had performed respectably without making a serious impact on his first couple of starts for the yard at King Abdulaziz and Chantilly but he proved a different proposition on his domestic debut, justifying favouritism in style. He raced with enthusiasm at the head of affairs and then stayed on strongly after being sent for home three furlongs out, drawing nine lengths clear.
A rating of 124 places him on the borderline of being a high-class performer on Timeform's scale - 125 is the benchmark for that - and, for context, is the same as stablemate Dubai Honour is rated.
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Hackwood Stakes (Group 3), 6f, Newbury, Saturday 16 July
Minzaal had looked a hugely exciting prospect when winning the 2020 Gimcrack Stakes but a couple of setbacks meant he didn't make it to the course until October last term and his campaign was restricted to two outings. Things have gone smoother this season, however, and Minzaal's victory in the Hackwood Stakes at Newbury on Saturday suggests he might fulfil his undoubted potential.
Minzaal had finished an encouraging third on his reappearance at York in May and then shaped much better than the result would indicate in the Platinum Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, proving competitive for a long way.
He built on that promise at Newbury in a strong edition of the Hackwood and impressed with his strength at the finish as he pulled a length and a quarter clear in a race that had looked set to produce a much closer finish half a furlong out.
Ladies Church (114 from 100)
Sapphire Stakes (Group 2), 5f, Curragh, Saturday 16 July
Ladies Church made little impact when a well-backed favourite for the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot but she showed why she had been so well supported when landing the Sapphire Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday, improving her form in the region of a stone.
Mooneista had won the Sapphire in 2021 and looked set to retain her crown when quickening to lead over a furlong out. However, Ladies Church kept on strongly to edge ahead in the final strides, showing a really willing attitude to get the verdict by a short-head.
Ladies Church may have been sent off at double-figure odds but there was no element of fluke about the performance.
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