Doncaster St Leger week looked an interesting one from a speed rating angle. The top races from the first three days have already been discussed in daily reviews on this site which included Continuous (117), Sandrine (114), Sumo Sam (112), and Dancing Gemini (109). The final day of the meeting on Sunday may have seemed like a day where the centrepiece of the meeting should have been staged, but there was also a couple of performances of note for the future. The feature race on Sunday, the Group 3 Sceptre Stakes for Fillies and Mares over 7 furlongs, saw the performance of the meeting on the clock. The Kieran Cotter trained Matilda Picotte (120) smashed up the clock, under Oisin Murphy, in finishing 3 3/4 lengths ahead of the Ralph Beckett trained Nigiri. She had previously looked like a Listed/Group 3 filly on the clock, but this was a Group 1 performance. Perhaps the nature of the race played into her hands, but in the words of her trainer she is a “serious horse”. The Prix De La Foret could be an option, but wherever she goes from here she is worth keeping an eye on going forward.

Poet Master (117) was the other noteworthy performance from Sunday, where he also put up a Group 1 performance on the clock. Rated just (92) by the handicapper, the son of Lope De Vega travelled strongly throughout the race before taking up the running two furlongs out, and finishing 2 3/4 lengths clear of Zouky. Decribed as having his own ideas about the game, and not loving ground conditions, he looks another nice type for owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum. No fancy entries are on the board yet, but his next engagement is eagerly awaited.

Karl Burke trained horses have been smashing up the clock all year, and the two year old filly Dawn Charger (113) took her form to a new level at Chantilly on Saturday in the 6f Group 2 Prix Eclipse for two year olds. The prominent racing daughter of Soldier’s Call showed her versatility stepping up in distance to finish a neck ahead of the Yann Barberot trained Laulne. A step up in class should be next on the cards, possibly for next month’s Group 2 Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte.

My favourite one of the week is the John Flint trained Lusaka (111) who won his fourth race from his last five at Bath on Saturday. Despite having to be rousted along at the start, the 5yo son of The Last Lion cruised into the lead three furlongs from home, and looked to get a little bit lonely out in front before reasserting near the finish to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Raised just 5lbs by the handicapper to a new mark of (77), judging by the clock, there looks to be some room for a few more nice performances.

Till the next instalment,

Stay Lucky,

Graham