Handicappers' Corner: Bank on further Rothschild success

Oracene Price could be forgiven for thinking she had the proudest mother of the day title sewn up on Saturday after her daughter Serena Williams equalled sister Venus' haul of five Wimbledon titles before the pair carried off the ladies' doubles title later that evening.

It's not known as to whether Oracene has much of an interest in horse racing, but if she had been watching the Lancashire Oaks and Eclipse, she'd have known that broodmare Magnificent Style had a fair bit to be pleased about herself as her son and daughter by Galileo, Nathaniel and Great Heavens, won the feature races of the afternoon at Sandown and Haydock.

The Eclipse was weakened by the withdrawal at declaration time of lame ante-post favourite So You Think, but it still saw two unexposed and improving four-year-olds put up top-class performances to pull clear, Nathaniel running to 131 and Farhh improving again to 130. Both historical standards and prior-rating standards point to figures in the low 130's for the first two, with Twice Over showing he still retains plenty of ability in third, running to 124 (rated 128 at his peak).

Of the pair that were rated joint-highest pre-race, Cityscape remains on 130, looking the biggest challenger to Nathaniel at one stage until his stamina gave out. Monterosso now has split turf and all-weather ratings, dropped to 120 (achieved in the Dubai City of Gold in 2011) on turf after failing to reproduce his Dubai World Cup form.

At Haydock, where the times suggest the ground wasn't as testing as officially described (Timeform have recorded it as good to soft), the feature race went to Nathaniel's sister Great Heavens. Great Heavens is the fifth foal of Magnificent Style to win a pattern race, and the seventh to achieve a Timeform rating in excess of 110.

Great Heavens was an easy winner of the Lancashire Oaks, coming home five lengths clear of Shimmering Surf, despite being eased down. Historical standards support a rating of 117p for her effort, alongside a timefigure of 115 (winning time over a second quicker than Old Newton Cup). This run suggests she's up to mixing it with the best of her division at middle distances.

Completing the excellent weekend for John Gosden and Lady Rothschild was Trade Commissioner who won a mile handicap earlier on the Sandown card. Although unraced before this year, he's quickly made into a smart performer, earning a rating of 113p for his success on Saturday, and his days in handicap company could be over for the foreseeable future.

Also at Sandown, Falls of Lora emerged with plenty of credit conceding weight all round in the fillies' listed race. Her new rating of 109 still leaves her rated behind enigmatic Starscope (112), who was beaten favourite, and some way off the level of the best three-year-old miling fillies, even in what increasingly looks a weak division.

The Group 3 held on the sprint course proved to be a messy race, with the field spread out across the track and less than three lengths covering the first ten. Even though she overcame unfavourable circumstances, Caledonia Lady's effort has been rated cautiously. A new rating of 108 is at least 6 lb lower than that recorded by any of the last five winners of the corresponding race, and both she and the runner-up could struggle in other pattern races.

At Haydock, Number Theory gave John Holt and Russ Kennemore the biggest wins of their careers in the Old Newton Cup. Number Theory has been one of the most progressive handicappers of the season so far, this win his third of the season over C&D and now sees him on 105. Also worth mentioning is Gabrial The Great, who could have his name on one of the big handicaps such was the ease in which he beat Repeater. He's now rated 100p.

Saturday also saw the first nursery of the season at Haydock which was won by Rated. The slow gallop might well have been a contributory factor, but the handicapper is entitled to pat himself on the back, to coin that tired old cliché, given the bunched finish. It's been a while coming, but he can also be applauded for publishing nursery marks immediately rather than waiting until early-August. The more information that can be relayed to punters the better.