Fourie Barometer 353 (updated after racing on 11/04/2024)

South African Gr 1 Success At Grand National Meeting

Il Etait Temps soars over a jump on his way to victory at Aintree today (Thursday) (Picture: Irishracing.com)

The Willie Mullins-trained Il Etait temps, owned by two famous names in South African racing, the Heffers of Hollywoodbets and the Kieswetters of Ridgemont, cruised to an easy win in the opening race of the three day Grand National meeting, the Gr 1 Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase over two mile and four furlongs under Paul Townend.

Il Etait Temps is officially owned by the Hollywood Syndicate in partnership with the Kieswetter’s Ireland-based Barnane Stud and runs in the familar yellow with purple stars colours of the Hollywood Syndicate.

It was only the second time Willie Mullins chief stable jockey Paul Townend had ridden Il Etait Temps and he is now two from two on him.

Il Etait Temps has run in five chases for three wins, inlcuding two Gr 1s.

He also scored a Gr 1 win in his hurdles career.

In retrospect it is a pity he did not run in the Gr 1 Novices chase over this distance at the Cheltenham Festival, but instead ran in the two mile chase, because he downed the winner of the former race, Grey Dawning, who could only manage a 9,25 length third in today’s race at Aintree.

Devin Heffer, son of Hollywoodbets owner Owen Heffer and also the company’s Brand and Communications manager, summed it up by saying, “We feel really privileged to be part of this horse’s career … a little grey with a huge heart!”

Il Etaits Temps started second favourite at 3/1 with Grey Dawning being sent out 11/10 favourite in the small five horse field.

The report below was written by At The Races:

Il Etait Temps cruised to success in the Close Brothers Manifesto Novices’ Chase as the Grand National meeting got underway at Aintree.

Willie Mullins’ grey was ridden by Paul Townend and travelled patiently at the rear of the field of five.

He was always in touch, however, and was able to pick off each of his rivals to take up the lead ahead of the last fence and went on to prevail comfortably at 3-1.

The race saw another clash between the Paul Nicholls-trained Ginny’s Destiny and Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning, with the latter having come out on top at Cheltenham.

He was favourite to do so again but Harry Skelton was just niggling to keep in contention at the top of the straight.

Harry Cobden looked to have saved a bit on Ginny’s Destiny but the Mullins runner, as so often, looked in a different league. He hit the front and, despite making a bit of a mess of the last fence, had plenty left in the locker.

Ginny’s Destiny just held off Grey Dawning for second.

Mullins said: “That was nice and I loved the manner he did it in. I was really taken with how he walked around the parade ring beforehand, I haven’t seen him as loose for a while, and I just thought if he could run like he walked, he was going to run a big race.

“When he jumped off at the start, I think for the first circuit I was very worried, he just seemed very behind himself – I don’t think he’s going to need his hood in future. But he warmed to his task and jumped well later in the race and just kept galloping.

“I think going out in trip is more important than track. He did win over two miles, but his performance today over two and a half was fantastic.

“At this end of the season, horses are tired and he just took a bit of time to warm up, but I’m happy that he’s going to improve as he goes further out in trip and gets older.

“He’s a fine horse, he’s not your big, 16.3 (hands) chaser, but he turns up for every fight and is made of iron. He turns up and there’s never an issue with him.”

Skelton currently leads the race for the British trainers’ championship, with Nicholls in hot pursuit and Mullins within striking distance in third.

Aintree could prove crucial to the outcome of that battle – with Mullins admitting Il Etait Temps’ victory was something of a surprise boost.

He added: “I’d imagine every little helps, but they’ll be hoping they can just keep ahead and then that we don’t win the National probably. A lot of our thing depends on how we do in the National and I suppose it’s the same with them.

“That was one I didn’t expect there, so that was nice – hopefully the rest of them can run like that.

“If we don’t win the National, it’s going to be very, very tough. We’re here having the sport and we’ll see what happens.”

Nicholls felt both Ginny’s Destiny and Grey Dawning were perhaps feeling the effects of their Cheltenham exertions.

He said: “He ran really well, I’ve said all along there’s nothing between Ginny’s Destiny and Grey Dawning and they both ran their races. Say no more!

“Harry said there’s a really big race in him and considering he had a very hard race at Cheltenham, he’s bounced back really well. He looked good, jumped well but as Harry Skelton said, tired legs probably beat the pair of them as they’ve run really good races.

“I don’t know what route we’ll go down next year. He will get three miles but while Dan’s horse looks a Gold Cup type trip-wise, I’m not sure ours is because he has plenty of boot.

“What he has done is gone from lowly handicaps to Grade Ones and if we’d have jumped the second last at Cheltenham, it would have been interesting. There’s nothing between those two, they are good, solid, proper horses.”

Skelton added: “Harry lost an iron but it is irrelevant to the outcome.

“Obviously Cheltenham has taken the gloss off him, though it makes no difference to his season as he was ready to run and ran creditably.

“Next season he will start over two and a half miles then graduate to three.”

"Elizabedi" Has A Colt Named After Him At BSA Nationals

Eben Etzebeth, who famously gained the nickname “Elizabedi” during the Rugby World Cup thanks to an enthusiastic young fan, has a thoroughbred named after him and a very well bred one too.

Susan Rowett of Varsfontein always delivers imaginative names and one of the Varsfontein Stud colts on offer at the BSA National Yearling Sale is named “Etzebeth.”

The colt is grey and is by Erik The Red out of the top class three-time Gr 1 winner Bela-Bela.

That makes him a half-brother to the Gr 2 Western Cape Fillies Championship winner Ciao Bella.

The name he was given might have more than one angle to it and that would be the typical approach of Susan Rowett, who comes up with some gems.

Erik The Red in history was a gigantic viking and one of history’s most infamous enforcers.

Eben Etzebeth is gigantic and is the most famous enforcer in world rugby.

Bela-Bela is a town in the Limpopo Province, formerly known as Warmbaths.

The words bela-bela literally mean “boiling boiling” in the Northern-Sotho language.

That is where the yearling colt’s name could be doubly clever.

Erik The Red had a ferocious, rageful temper, and it boiled over on a number of occasions. He was banished from two different Viking countries for his homicidal behavior.

Eben is nothing of the sort and has shown himself to be a gentle giant … when he is off the pitch.

However, it is a different story on the field and his temper has boiled over on occasion in the heat of forward battle, although not as much these days as it used to.

So the boiling hot temperamants of the two gigantic men might relate to the translated meaning of “bela-bela”.

The grey colt looks to be big and that might have been another prompt for the name.

The well-named colt is lot 56 and is sure to draw attention as this is the family of the great champion matriarch Mystic Spring.

Redberry Lane's Daughter wins On Debut Under First-Time Workrider

Siniko Mtshikitshiki has a 100% race-riding record after bringing home the well-bred Vercingetorix first-timer filly Redcherry Lane at the Vaal today (Tuesday) (JC Photos)

The good looking daughter of Gr 1 Garden Province winner Redberry Lane, a Vercingetorix three-year-old filly called Redcherry Lane, made a winning debut at the Vaal today under unusual circumstances.

One would have expected a Lammerskraal Stud-bred filly out of a Gr 1-winning daughter of Western Winter and by possibly the country’s most sought after stallion to make a more auspicious debut than in a Wokriders Maiden Plate ridden by a Workrider who was having his first ever ride.

Sean Tarry entrusted the ride to Siniko Mtshikitshiki, who has been with the five-times SA champion trainer since last September, and Siniko repaid him by bringing the filly home.

Redcherry Lane, who has plenty of substance, started at odds of 28/10.

The 33/20 favourite was Intro, a two-year-old Bezrin filly who had some decent form against some fair horses in juvenile maiden plates and juvenile plates.

Redcherry Lane wore ear muffs and jumped akwardly, upward and out to the right.

Siniko sbowed good balance to stay aboard, especially considering he rides noticeably short.

The horse lost a couple of lengths, but he didn’t show any sign of panic and allowed her to use her natural pace to make up the leeway.

She showed a nice action and was soon back in contention.

The horse was green when he asked the question and he also looked a bit awkward when pushing her out, as one would expect in a first race ride.

However, she responded to his urgings and went through a gap before drawing ahead to beat Intro by a length.

Both horse and rider have 100% records and look to have promise.

However, wearing ear muffs first time out and being ridden by an unrecognised rider seems to suggest Redcherry Lane can’t be an easy customer.

Team Valor International's Amazing "Grand Slam" In Different Countries

Frances Ethel’s Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer SA Oaks victory completed an amazing run for Team Valor Internationl when within a week they had four stakes wins in four different countries (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Sean Collins (Bloodhorse)

Team Valor International belted a grand slam March 30-April 6, taking home four stakes victories in four different countries across three continents. Better yet, the wins came in consecutive stakes appearances for the ownership group.

“It’s like you’re out playing golf and, all of a sudden, every shot’s a winner,” said Team Valor founder and CEO Barry Irwin.

Team Valor’s big week started March 30 as Facteur Cheval returned from a five-month layoff to upset the field in the Dubai Turf (G1T) at Meydan Racecourse. Not only was it the 5-year-old Ribchester gelding’s first group 1 score, but it was also his first victory since October 2022.

“(Facteur Cheval) had been placed for four group 1s in a row without winning; you just kind of feel like you’re snake bit,” Irwin said. “Then when you finally get over the hump, then here come a couple more.”

The celebration in the winner’s circle hadn’t calmed down yet before Team Valor had another reason to keep the party going. Twenty minutes after Facteur Cheval had pulled the upset, his long-distance stablemate Easy was ready to do the same in the listed Cork Stakes at Cork Racecourse in Ireland, living up to her name with a 1 1/4-length victory.

“Most of our partners never even watched the second,” Irwin said. Both Facteur Cheval and Easy are co-owned by Gary Barber. “(Gary) forgot to watch it because he was still celebrating the big one. It was pretty hectic.”

Irwin didn’t know what to expect from Easy as it was her first start in 18 months after missing time with knee surgery. However, her trainer Andrew Slattery Sr. had enough confidence for them both.

“(Slattery Sr.) was very patient,” Irwin said. “He was really confident, but I’ve heard a lot of stories in my life and I just wait to see what actually happens. He nailed it. He was right on the money with that one.”

High off their success in Europe, Team Valor set their sights on North America where they made a last-minute call to supplement Nadette into the Wilshire Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park when it was pushed from March 30 to April 4 due to rain.

Nadette stormed up the inside rail to impressively notch her first win in the United States in her 10th attempt. She had been close a couple of times, but Irwin said he felt relieved to finally get that first stateside win in a dominant performance that caught him by surprise.

“Where that race came from, I have no idea,” Irwin said. “She was in season. Usually, trainers don’t like that—they shy away from being bullish about that—but whatever got into this filly, it was amazing.”

While Nadette was preparing for her run in the Wilshire, Irwin kept himself busy by purchasing a promising South African-bred filly, Frances Ethel, April 1. April 6, she capped a perfect 4-for-4 week for Team Valor by winning the South Africa Oaks (G2).

Irwin was interested in the daughter of Rafeef after she ran second on debut before winning each of her next three starts.

“What I liked about her was in her three wins, she looked like she had no chance with about a furlong and a half to go,” Irwin said. “She got up and won by daylight each time. When they win like that, you never know how much is left in the tank, so that’s what encouraged me to do that.”

Irwin has had success in the past with taking South African fillies and mares to compete internationally, like Irridescence . A group 1 winner in her home country, Irridescence traveled to Hong Kong to win the 2006 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (G1) and placed in both the 2007 Falmouth Stakes (G1) at Newmarket and Beverly D. Stakes (G1T) at Arlington Park.

Irwin, who grew up in California, says he likes the South African racing industry because it reminds him of his home state that, like South Africa, doesn’t get the top stallions but provides a great location to raise a horse.

“What made the California breeding industry so good at its height was the animal husbandry and the ability of the climate to produce a good horse,” Irwin said. “Horses that are bred in California look good. They have advantages there with the feed, the soil, and the climate. You can raise a good horse there.

“In South Africa, it’s the same thing. You get horses with good bone. They’re tough, they’re raised outdoors. I trust the product down there and have enjoyed considerable success.”

As one amazing week came to an end, another week had to begin. With the new week came the end of the winning streak April 7. However, there was no shame in defeat as Mansa Musa produced a solid performance in his U.S. debut, finishing second by a neck in the Palisades Stakes at Keeneland.

After breaking poorly and getting squeezed, the 3-year-old colt carried the hopes of a fifth consecutive stakes win on his back as he rallied up the rail to take the lead late, but was caught on the wire by Fandom .

“He ran a winning race. He used himself too much to get where he needed to be and he was vulnerable in the closing strides,” Irwin said. “I think he is a legit 3-year-old sprinter. He should have a very good year.”

It’s not just Mansa Musa—it looks like Team Valor is positioned to have a very good year themselves should they have more weeks like this one all across the world.

“It’s one of those magical things I’ve learned to appreciate the heck out of because stuff like this doesn’t happen all the time,” Irwin said.

Robyn Klaasen And A Colt Hungry For Success

The small but lion hearted Purple Pitcher wins the Gr 1 TAB SA Derby in courageous fashion (JC Photos)

Horse named after insect-eating flower gallops into the Durban July picture

Mike Moon (The Citizen)

Purple Pitcher is on a direct course for the Hollywoodbets Durban July following his remarkable victory in the Gr 1 TAB SA Derby at Turffontein on Saturday.

His trainer Robyn Klaasen is a young woman in a hurry.

She had her first winner as recently as mid-2021 and has since quickly entrenched herself among a feisty band of emerging female conditioners – the like of Candice Bass-Robinson, Candice Dawson, Wendy Whitehead, and Kelly Mitchley.

She – and they – bring the sort of glamour and youthful zest South African racing needs to draw in new devotees. There’s nothing inherently wrong with wizened old blokes in cloth caps on the gallops of a freezing morning, but they sure ain’t sexy.

Klaasen said on Monday the 2024 July over 2200m has been her long-term goal for Purple Pitcher, with last month’s SA Classic triumph the short-term goal. The Derby marathon – which the three-year-old clinched after a brave, epic, 500m duel down to the line against two doughty opponents – proved to be “a bonus” in the stable’s planning. (It must be said jockey Kabelo Matsunyane did brilliantly well to keep the colt rolling.)

Origins of Purple Pitcher
Winning the final two legs of the Triple Crown meant Purple Pitcher came as close as any contemporary to landing the prestige series this year, with Klaasen revealing her charge had been “a little under-done” when fourth in Leg 1, the Gauteng Guineas in February.

Purple Pitcher is likely to tackle the Grade 1 Daily News 2000 in the lead-up to South Africa’s most famous race on the first Saturday in July.

It hasn’t been much mentioned, but a purple pitcher is a carnivorous species of North American flowering plant that eats insects and very small salamanders. The name is quite inventive, with the sire being New Predator and the dam Heliantha, which is a shrub.

Klaasen came by Purple Pitcher when owner Stincky Pooe moved a handful of his horses to her yard about 18 months ago. Pooe had paid R170,000 for him at a yearling sale, enticed by the youngster being a half-brother to his own highly successful race filly Miss Daisy.

As a juvenile, Purple Pitcher raced four times for three place cheques. In Klaasen’s care, turned three, he reeled off five wins on the trot, including in the Dingaans, before that fourth in the Guineas. It was a blip on the record, but then the Classic and the Derby victories on the tough Turffontein track showcased the colt’s whole-hearted character to the full.

Klaasen says she’s lucky to have found such a good racehorse so early in her career, but that neglects to mention she’s had something to do with his seven successes.

‘Learn about racing’
Growing up outside Joburg, Robyn got hooked on horses and horse riding early, participating in show jumping and polocrosse. “But there was always something about racing that fascinated me,” she says.

Ashleigh Hughes, who was running a Joburg satellite yard for Cape Town’s champion trainer Justin Snaith, “let me follow her around and help out, so I could learn about racing”.

Then Robyn landed a job in Gary Alexander’s stable, then one with champion trainer Sean Tarry, and then one with another champion, Paul Peter. She took off for Australia and a position at Gollan Racing in Brisbane before Covid struck and she had to return to Joburg in 2021.

Racing in South Africa was in a perilous state, but Robyn dived in and took out a training licence. At first, most of the boxes she hired at Turffontein were empty, but when the few residents started performing the place started filling up.

Demand shot up after the first big win – Purple Pitcher in the Grade 2 Dingaans in November 2023 – famously the day after Robyn gave birth to her first child, Kai.

Incidentally, her first winner, Meteoric at Greyville, was owned by her husband Joshua Peter.

Move To Poly To Suit Cruise Control

Cruise Control winning on the turf but he enjoys the poly too (Picture: Pauline Herman)

Jack Milner (The Citizen)

Following 49mm of rain at Fairview over the past three days a decision has been taken to move today’s meeting from the turf course to the Polytrack.

Trainers have until this morning to decide whether they want to withdraw their runner due to the change in the track.

However, the move to he Polytrack is unlikely to affect the chances of Cruise Control in Race 6, the Fairview Flying Five (Non-Black Type) over 1000m.

While Smith has given most of the rides at the course today to Muzi Yeni but one cannot blame Smith for the decision to give the ride on Cruise Control to Louie Mxothwa as Mxothwa is unbeaten in two starts aboard Cruise Control and the gelding could hardly have been more impressive with his preparation for this race.

Cruise Control has won nine of his 15 starts and has two wins from two starts over this particular course and distance.

In his last start, Cruise Control thrashed his stable companion and rival in this race, Ledell’s Echo, by 5.50 lengths.

On his six defeats it is worth noting that Cliff Top is responsible for three of them and Evie’s First for another and both will take him on again.

Cliff Top, the mount of Richard Fourie, has been in good form of late and can fight out the finish again.

Evie’s First is speedy and has won a few over the course and distance but beat Cruise Control over 1200m when Cruise Control clearly went for broke too soon.

Yeni will be on the improving three-year-old The Winter Lake. This What A Winter gelding has won twice in four starts since blinkers were fitted and will be doing his best late in the race.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 1 Anuschka’s World, 6 Havana Grey, 7 Yellow Jacket, 3 First Lord

Race 2: 9 Queen Of Jazz, 3 Eat Prey Love, 5 Gold Quest, 7 Million Reasons

Race 3: 1 Cicadidae, 5 Havre De Grace, 6 Cabaret, 11 Sundrop

Race 4: 3 Metar, 1 Legal Thriller, 6 Pembroke, 5 Hawk Circle

Race 5: 3 Say Yes, 7 Kingdom Of Heaven, 2 The Mauritian, 4 Fateful Day

Race 6: 1 Cruise Control, 2 Cliff Top, 5 The Winter Lake, 6 Iron Bark

Race 7: 2 Joy And Peace, 4 Epikleros, 5 Back For More, 3 Public Benefit

Race 8: 9 Gideon’s Daughter, 1 Waz Wouter, 3 Mo Flow, 11 Woman’s World

Race 9: 4 Destiny’s Angel, 6 Meetatthewindsor, 1 Horsefly, 2 Gunsmoke

BEST BET

Race 6 No 1 Cruise Control

VALUE BET

Race 3 No 3 Metar

BEST SWINGER

Race 7 2×4

BIPOT

R81

Leg 1: 3, 5, 9

Leg 2: 1, 5, 6

Leg 3: 1, 3, 6

Leg 4: 2, 3, 7

Leg 5: 1

Leg 6: 2

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 1, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 3, 6

Leg 3: 2, 3, 7

Leg 4: 1

Leg 5: 2

Leg 6: 1, 9

Leg 7: 1, 4, 6

PICK 6

R640

Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 6

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 7

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 2, 4

Leg 5: 1, 3, 9, 11

Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8

JACKPOT 1

R32

Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 7

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 2, 4

Leg 4: 1, 3, 9, 11

JACKPOT 2

R40

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 2, 4

Leg 3: 1, 3, 9, 11

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8

Rachel Blackmore Comments On Her Three Aintree Day 2 Rides

Rachel Blackmore became the first female to ride a Grand National winner in 2021 (Picture: PA)

Rachael Blackmore give the inside track on her day two runners at Aintree’s Grand National meeting

Betfair ambassador Rachael Blackmore has three rides on day two of the Grand National meeting at Aintree
One of them is the mount on Envoi Allen – second in the Ryanair at Cheltenham – in the Grade 1 Mildmay Chase on Friday
The superstar jockey reveals Life In The Park was impressive over the Aintree-style fences when schooling at Henry De Bromhead’s yard ahead of the Topham
https://www.betfair.com/betting/horse-racing/s-7

Aintree – day two

1.45 – Heart Wood

Heart Wood is set to take his chance in the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase on Friday.

He was very good in the Leopardstown Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. He’s very lightly raced and I think that he’s progressive.

Heart Wood is obviously taking a big step up here, from a handicap chase into a Grade 1, but we’re really happy with him at home. I hope that he can stay the trip, and I’m hoping that he can take the step up in class.

3.30 – Envoi Allen

Envoi Allen came out of Cheltenham really well, he seems to be in great order.

He ran a brilliant race again in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, we were as happy as you could have been, in finishing second. Heavy ground wouldn’t be his preference, but the Melling Chase is run over a slightly shorter trip than the Ryanair Chase, and Aintree’s finish obviously isn’t as stiff as Cheltenham’s.

It’s going to be a very good race, but we’re hoping that he can put up another solid performance.

4.05 – Life In The Park

Life In The Park ran really well in the Plate at Cheltenham. He finished fourth, but he didn’t have the clearest of passages at an important part of the race.

It was a really good run from him though, it was great to see him bounce back to form. He was racing in a first-time tongue-tie on that occasion, and that seemed to help him, so hopefully it can have a similar effect now.

I’m very much looking forward to riding him over the Grand National fences. He schooled over some Aintree type fences last week and he schooled really well. He should take to the fences all right and, as long as he does, he could run a big race.

Anathi Feni Four-timer, Webber Double

Anathi Feni runs out an easy winner on the Alson Ndzilana-trained Gold Standard filly Red Knot and it gives the talented young rider a four-timer on the day (JC Photos)

Anathi Feni rode a four-timer at the Vaal straight course workriders meeting today (Thursday), two of them for Brett Webber.

Feni goes to 6 wins for the season, which puts him on top of the log by two, and he has chaieved it at a strike rate of 37.50%.

Webber is also on six wins for the season and has done it at a strike rate of 4.88%.

Today’s Question

The subject of the question is pictured above.

Who achieved the highest Timeform Rating for a 2000 Guineas win?

Midweek FIELDS

Fairview Poly, Friday

Today’s Question Answer

Picture: Brigadier Gerard: Put up a sparkling performance in the 2000 Guineas (Sportinglife.com)

2000 Guineas | Five of the best winners on Timeform ratings
By Timeform
08:50 · FRI May 05, 2023

Timeform highlight which horses since the 1970s have clocked the highest performance rating in the 2000 Guineas.

1. Brigadier Gerard (Performance rating 141)
One of the all-time greats, Brigadier Gerard achieved the highest performance rating in the 2000 Guineas in the last half-century or so when winning by three lengths in 1971. Despite the remarkably small field – only six went to post – Brigadier Gerard was only third in the betting as an incredibly strong line-up also included Mill Reef and My Swallow. The trio had won a combined 16 of their 17 previous starts and scared off plenty of potential rivals.

Despite the small field, the pace of the race was strong and the Dick Hern-trained Brigadier Gerard picked up impressively entering the Dip to draw right away from Mill Reef inside the final furlong.

Mill Reef went on to frank the form in no uncertain terms, stepping up in trip to win the Derby, Eclipse, King George and Arc before the year was out, while Brigadier Gerard proved prolific in the top mile races before stepping up to win the Champion Stakes on his final three-year-old start.

Meeting with defeat only once in his career and retiring at the end of his four-year-old season, Brigadier Gerard’s rating peaked at 144 and has since been bettered by only Frankel.

2. El Gran Senor (136)
Following an unbeaten two-year-old campaign, the Vincent O’Brien-trained El Gran Senor was sent off a strong 15/8 favourite for the 2000 Guineas in 1984 and produced a top-class performance.

Stylishly making progress onto the heels of the leaders two furlongs out, Pat Eddery hit the front entering the final furlong and never needed to get really serious with his mount to stamp his authority, crossing the line with plenty in hand over some high-class rivals. Indeed, Chief Singer, Lear Fan and Rainbow Quest filled the frame behind El Gran Senor and all subsequently went on to win Group 1 contests.

With such a strong-travelling display to win the Guineas, El Gran Senor had a slight question to answer over his stamina as he went up in trip later in the year, but, having narrowly missed out to Secreto in the Derby, he proved himself in clear-cut fashion by beating Rainbow Quest in the Irish Derby before injury curtailed his career and he was retired to stud.

3= Nijinsky (135)
Much like El Gran Senor, Nijinsky completed a perfect juvenile campaign by winning the Dewhurst, establishing himself as the clear favourite for the 2000 Guineas of 1970. It was arguably not the strongest of renewals, but Nijinsky scored with plenty in hand under a confident Lester Piggott, leaving spectators in no doubt he was a top-class performer.

Nijinsky went on to cement his status as one the greats with one of the best performances ever seen in the Derby, displaying a tremendous turn of foot to beat Gyr, before a comfortable win in the St Leger secured his place in history as a Triple Crown winner.

A busy three-year-old campaign eventually caught up with him, though with more luck in running he may well have added the Arc to his remarkable year, and he was retired to stud following a below-par display in the Champion Stakes. He remains the last horse to have won the Triple Crown.

3= Frankel (135)
It may come as a surprise that Frankel is only joint-third on this list as, in many ways, his performance in the Newmarket showpiece in 2011 was the most devastating ever seen, striding on from the get-go at a strong pace, barely anything even able to lay a glove on the Galileo colt, the race taken apart by halfway. However, such was the exuberance he displayed, even the six-length margin of victory over Dubawi Gold failed to show Frankel’s full superiority on the day.

Frankel, whose career was expertly charted by Sir Henry Cecil, went from strength to strength, consistently winning his races with performances of 140-plus as a four-year-old, showing himself to be the greatest racehorse of all time with a stunning 11-length victory over Excelebration in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, earning a Timeform rating of 147.

5. Dancing Brave (134)
Dancing Brave, like Frankel, also carried the famous Khalid Abdullah silks to 2000 Guineas glory, winning the 1986 edition by three lengths from Green Desert, who went on to be a high-class sprinter. On the day at Newmarket there was no great pace and Dancing Brave, ridden by Greville Starkey, produced a real flourish to not only wear Green Desert down but assert in dominant style inside the final furlong.

The way he pulled clear suggested he’d stay further and, after a famously unlucky defeat in the Derby, Dancing Brave went on to record four more wins for trainer Guy Harwood, including the Arc, in which he produced a remarkable late run to get up close home.