Handicappers' Corner: Champion Stakes lives up to billing

Champions Day 2013 was always going to be a harder sell than the first two years in its current guise without you-know-who and, unsurprisingly it attracted a smaller crowd than the previous year. There were no apostrophes in the event name either this year, a reminder of the developing nature of this season-ending finale that still needs fine tuning, a seventh race to complement what is admittedly already a high-quality card perhaps the most pressing detail.

Various sources have suggested that in its current slot, Ascot is likely to come off worst against both the Arc and Breeders' Cup meetings when it comes to attracting the strongest fields. So far there isn't sufficient evidence to suggest that is the case. 

No meeting will ever attract every top-class horse, but British Champions Day made a valiant effort, five of the eight European-based horses with a Timeform rating of 130+ going to post for either the QEII or the Champion Stakes, and both races saw top-class performances recorded by the winners.

The Champion Stakes proved the highlight, the three horses that dominated the market pulling clear, Farhh having a neck and half a length to spare over Cirrus des Aigles and Ruler of The World.

In rating Farhh 133 for winning the Champion Stakes, there's no denying that Timeform have taken a positive view of the performances of the first three. Certainly one higher than that suggested by five-year historical standards, though one that is justified on prior-rating standards and historical standards of the two previous renewals at Ascot. It's worth reiterating that historical standards take into account the ratings of the first five horses of a result, not just the winner, so they are not skewed by a rating given to a wide-margin winner.

In going down by just a neck, Cirrus des Aigles also earns a rating of 133, pretty much as good as ever (rated 135 in 2012), particularly considering he wasn't so well placed as the winner and similar comments apply to the third.

Ruler of The World went a long way to justifying Ryan Moore's decision to ride him rather than Hillstar for his retained trainer and a figure of 131 marks him down as the highest-rated three-year-old colt at 10f+, vindicating his rider's view that he might well have been placed in the Arc with a bit more luck. 

It is common policy for Ballydoyle to keep their Derby winners in training, a policy for which they should be applauded, and the engraver of the Tattersalls Gold Cup trophy can probably start sharpening his tools.

The QEII looked a similarly strong race beforehand, but in event didn't have the depth of the Champion Stakes with neither Dawn Approach nor Soft Falling Rain able to show their best, but the winner still put up a performance of similar calibre to Farrh, Olympic Glory recording a figure of 132 for his three and a quarter-length defeat of Top Notch Tonto. 

Top Notch Tonto, one of the stories of the Flat season given his transformation since leaving the disgraced Ian McInnes improved his form further to finish second, his rating of 123 fully 23 lb higher than he achieved for his previous handler.

Last year's RP Trophy winner Kingsbarns also emerges with a deal of credit and it is to be hoped 2014 allows him to fulfil his potential, a rating of 121p suggesting he has the scope to go on and gain further success at the highest level.

The Fillies & Mares event, upgraded to Group 1 status for the first time saw Seal of Approval run out a shock winner, and while her margin of victory was probably exaggerated by the testing conditions and run of the race, it would be wrong to suggest she was flattered.

Going into the race rated of 106, Seal of Approval was actually bottom-rated, so no surprise she was the outsider of the field too, but she had a progressive profile going into the race bar a blip when falling when still in with a chance in the Park Hill when last seen previously. She is now rated 118, making her now the highest rated in the field.

Neither of the other two pattern races on the card, the Champions Sprint nor the Long Distance Cup, identified a clear superior force in their respective division. A steady pace contributed to a bunched finish in the staying contest, there was less than three and a half lengths covering the first eight and little or no improvement was needed from the principals with Royal Diamond remaining on a rating of 118 and Harris Tweed on 119. 

Two horses finished clear in the Sprint, Slade Power and Jack Dexter putting more than three lengths between themselves and the rest, but it's a case of explaining below-par efforts from others rather than crediting them with too much improvement.

Slade Power was top-rated coming into the race but improves 2 lb up to 125 while Jack Dexter goes up 3 lb to 122. The best performance in a sprint in Europe this season remains the July Cup win of Lethal Force at 128.

Away from Ascot, the jumps action is beginning to swing into action and though Cheltenham played host to a two-day card, the most significant race this week was a listed event at Kempton that saw Rock On Ruby take on The New One.

Despite the small field, and the likelihood of the runner-up needing the race, there is good reason to take a positive view of the winning performance, chiefly the time comparison with the race won by Sea Lord, and The New One emerges with a new rating of 169p, 1 lb higher than the beaten Rock On Ruby.

The average rating for a Champion Hurdle winner over the last ten seasons is 165, but with seven active two-milers rated that or higher already, it's more likely a figure north of 170 will be required to win what could be a vintage renewal in 2014.

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