Timeform ratings reaction to key Royal Ascot performances

Baaeed (Timeform rating 134)

Baaeed had looked an outstanding miler in winning the Lockinge, cruising clear in the final furlong to win by over three lengths. Several of those who had been outclassed at Newbury were in opposition once again in Tuesday’s Queen Anne Stakes and the outcome was more or the less the same as Baaeed underlined his status as the dominant miler of his generation with another smooth success.

In truth, Baaeed probably didn’t need to match his Lockinge form to follow up in the Queen Anne, though he left the impression he had more left in the tank if required, just needing to be pushed out to beat Real World by nearly two lengths. It’s simply testament to his rare talent that he ran to such a high level without looking hard pressed to do it, producing by far the best performance by a Queen Anne winner since Frankel’s tour de force in 2012.

Now unbeaten in eight starts, it’s unlikely that Baaeed will need to improve to continue his winning sequence in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, particularly as the St James’s Palace Stakes later on the card – more on which shortly – failed to reveal a standout rival among the three-year-old milers. Instead, it might be when Baaeed steps up to a mile and a quarter later in the season that he gets the opportunity to take his form up another notch.

A clash with the Derby winner Desert Crown (129p) is certainly a mouthwatering prospect, while the likes of State of Rest (127) and Bay Bridge (126p), the one-two from Wednesday’s Prince of Wales’s Stakes, are also rated higher than anything Baaeed has come up against so far this season.

Nature Strip (133)

It was always going to take something special to steal Baaeed’s thunder on the opening day of Royal Ascot, but Australian sprinter Nature Strip arguably did just that with a breathtaking victory in the King’s Stand Stakes, winning by a remarkably wide margin for a five-furlong race on firmish ground.

Nature Strip broke a little awkwardly but was soon powering along in a perfect position just behind the pace-forcer, eased into the lead at halfway and left his rivals for dead over a furlong out, extending his advantage right through the final furlong. He had four and a half lengths to spare over Twilight Calls at the line and it was a performance which hammered home the difference between a genuinely top-class performer and the rather mediocre bunch that currently contest this division in Britain and Ireland.

The big disappointment was Wesley Ward’s Golden Pal, who trailed in last after botching the start, but even on top form he would surely have struggled to live with Nature Strip, who earned a figure that places him behind only Battaash (136), Black Caviar (136) and Muhaarar (134) among the highest-rated sprinters this century.

Incidentally, Nature Strip’s connections declined the opportunity to try and emulate Blue Point by following up in Saturday’s Platinum Jubilee Stakes, a decision they might have been left to rue given how that race developed. Nature Strip’s stablemate Home Affairs ended up finishing well down the field and the winner, Naval Crown, had to run to a Timeform rating of just 122 to come out on top in a bunched finish.

Inspiral (125p)

Timeform’s highest-rated two-year-old filly of 2021 after going unbeaten in four starts, Inspiral appeared to have all the makings of a high-class performer. However, the big question ahead of Friday’s Coronation Stakes was whether she would be ready to produce a peak performance after eight months on the sidelines, her return to action having been delayed after she was reportedly slow to come hand in the spring.

In the event, it’s fair to say that Inspiral was ready and then some as she emphatically dismissed some smart and race-fit rivals in the Coronation, quickening clear in the final furlong to beat the hitherto unbeaten US raider Spendarella by four and three-quarter lengths. She was arguably value for extra given where she came from in a race run at just an ordinary gallop, taking a while to settle in rear before she was unleashed in the straight.

In truth, Inspiral had the beating of her 11 rivals on Friday even on last year’s form. They included the 1000 Guineas winner Cachet, who Inspiral had comfortably put in her place when ending her two-year-old campaign with victory in the Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, a Group One which has proved very strong form.

However, this performance took Inspiral to a whole new level, identifying her as one of the very best winners of the Coronation we’ve seen this century. She is open to more improvement and will take all the beating against her own sex wherever she goes next – a clash with the impressive Irish 1000 Guineas winner Homeless Songs (123p), who missed Ascot due to the fast ground, will be something to look forward to somewhere down the line.

Maljoom (124p)

The St James’s Palace Stakes is designed to settle any argument as to which is the best of the classic milers before they take on their elders, but this year’s renewal arguably threw up as many questions as it did answers. In a race where the pace didn't get the field strung out, the 11 runners were closely bunched turning into the straight and the first five were still covered by barely half a length at the line, with the next three also not beaten far.

Amidst all the uncertainty in such a muddling affair, it was hard to escape the conclusion that Maljoom was an unlucky loser after meeting trouble on the rail just as those around him were starting to hit top gear. He made up all of five lengths in less than a furlong once finally seeing some daylight, but the damage had already been done and he had to settle for fourth place (beaten a head, a short head and a neck).

Maljoom appeared so unlucky that he was rated as clearly the best horse on the day by Timeform, though it’s worth pointing out that the winner, Coroebus (127), was a fair way below the form he showed when winning the 2000 Guineas. A well-run rematch would certainly be no forgone conclusion in favour of Maljoom.

However, in this instance it’s worth focusing on the rapid progress made by Maljoom, who only made his debut in March and is already near the best of his generation of milers. An attractive colt, he won the German 2000 Guineas on just his third start, once again showing a potent turn of foot to overcome adverse circumstances. That change of gear promises to win him plenty more good races in the coming months.

Dramatised (112p)

Dramatised had run to a high level for a debutant when winning a Newmarket maiden in April, forging clear late on to beat a subsequent dual winner by four lengths, and she built on that in running out a decisive winner of Wednesday’s Queen Mary Stakes, proving well suited by the emphasis on stamina at five furlongs.

A total of 21 runners went to post and Wesley Ward’s Love Reigns, the main danger according to the betting, set a strong gallop until Dramatised took over entering the final furlong. It was around that point that jockey Danny Tudhope dropped his whip, but he needn’t have worried as Dramatised was always doing enough to maintain her unbeaten record by nearly two lengths, keeping going well in the manner of a filly who will stay six furlongs when the situation demands it.

That brings a race like the Prix Morny into calculations, a Group One which trainer Karl Burke won in 2017 with Unfortunately. Fillies also have a good record in the race in recent years – they have won three of the last six renewals – and there is no doubt that Dramatised has the ability to go there.

For context, not only is Dramatised rated as one of the best winners of the Queen Mary this century, but she is also the highest-rated two-year-old we’ve seen of either sex so far this season, ranking ahead of fellow Royal Ascot winners Bradsell (110p), Little Big Bear (106p), The Ridler (105p), Holloway Boy (103p) and Meditate (103p) among others.

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