THE July meeting at Newmarket was headlined by the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes and the Group 1 July Cup. Porta Fortuna completed a straightforward task in the Falmouth which featured a substandard field. She quickened up smartly through the fifth (11.29secs) sixth (11.18secs) and seventh furlong (11.48secs) to win by a comfortable three lengths and three quarters.
Mill Stream won a strongly run July Cup, staying on from the rear of the field to run down horses who had contested a strong pace. He recorded a Finishing Speed Percentage (FSP) of 97.52% suggesting that rather than quickening up to win he slowed down through the final two furlongs, but still stayed on too strongly for his nearest pursuers. A slow final furlong split of 12.95secs was the best in the race and was good enough for victory by a neck.
The July meeting often showcases top class two-year-olds. City Of Troy’s win in the Superlative Stakes last year is an obvious example. With that in mind this week I will look at five of the six two-year-old performances at the meeting and utilise the RaceiQ data to see what they achieved.
THIS full-brother to Little Big Bear found five furlongs too sharp in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot when fourth to Shareholder. The step back up to six furlongs here suited him ideally, winning by one length and three quarters. He made all the running, rated evenly by Ryan Moore recording an FSP of 101.66%.
Through the fourth and fifth furlongs he recorded 10.98secs and in so doing was the only horse in the race to post two sub 11.0secs furlongs in a row. This burst of sustained speed was achieved whilst hanging left. Despite that he was still the fastest horse through each of the final two furlongs. He is a well-built son of No Nay Never, every bit a sprinter on looks and evidently still with something to learn, yet the data shows this to be a dominant win with he promise of more to come at this trip.
Below is a data summary of this performance. The RaceiQ Par time is set according to the class of the race and the ground and therefore a Group 2 for two-year-olds will have a different par time to a two-year-old maiden over the same trip on the same day. The par therefore gives us an expectation of performance for the grade.
Data Summary: Whistlejacket
Final time: 1m 12.17secs ( -0.37secs under the RaceiQ par time)
Fastest Furlong: F4 and F5: 10.98s
Top Speed: 41.76 mph
Maximum Stride length: 7.99 metres
Average Stride length: 7.67 metres
THE ground was good on the Friday of the meeting as opposed to good to soft on the Thursday and it was a good time performance in a strongly run Group 2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. The pace was fast with Arabian Dusk racing close to the pace. Heaven’s Gate took them through rapid early sectionals.
She recorded 10.72secs, 11.02secs and 11.06secs through furlongs two, three and four and unsurprisingly this led to an FSP below 100% with the winner recording 98.72%.
That she was able to hang on having attended strong early sectionals does her credit for she was vulnerable in the final quarter mile. She held on from Mountain Breeze who ran an almost identical split for the final two furlongs (24.01secs v 24.02secs) but started her run from further back in the field. This was a tough and game effort from the winner and a career best.
Data Summary: Arabian Dusk
Final time: 1m 11.11secs (-0.84 under RaceiQ Par)
Fastest Furlong F2: 10.92secs
Top Speed: 41.40 mph
Maximum Stride length: 7.73 metres
Average Stride length: 7.67 metres
FIELD Of Gold showed much improved form to win his maiden on his second start and in doing so made considerable improvement. After the race, connections suggested that a Group 1 race may be next. He took up the running after three furlongs and thereafter displayed sustained speed through three of the final four furlongs which saw him record an FSP of 102.12%. He was eased down in the final few strides and an assumption that his FSP could have been better is a fair one to make. That sustained speed was impressive and is outlined below.
F4: 11.47secs
F5: 11.24secs
F6: 11.27secs
His final furlong although showing him to slow down was still the fastest in the race at 12.66secs, an indication of his dominance over this field. He is potentially very smart.
Data Analysis: Field Of Gold
Final Time: 1m 25.54secs ( -1.06secs under the RaceiQ Par)
Fastest Furlong: F5: 11.24secs
Top Speed: 41.08 mph
Maximum Stride length: 7.72 metres
Average Stride Length: 7.42 metres
CHARLIE Appleby unveiled this filly in the opening maiden on the Saturday of the meeting, and she looked very useful, something that is backed up by the data. This was an evenly run contest with the winner recording an FSP of 100.80%. Through the early part of the race Desert Flower looked to be green and a bit behind the bridle as she raced in fifth, but the speed that she displayed to surge to the lead was impressive.
Her fifth furlong of 11.05secs took her to the front and thereafter she was the fastest filly in the race through the final two furlongs. Her final two-furlong split was recorded as being 24.31secs with the runner-up clocking 24.85secs. To be able to quicken as well as she did amidst inexperience is a signal that she is very useful. She is 33/1 for the 2025 1000 Guineas.
Data Analysis: Desert Flower
Final time: 1m 25.76secs (-0.93secs under the RaceiQ Par)
Fastest Furlong: F5: 11.05secs
Top Speed: 40.57 mph
Maximum Stride length: 7.99 metres
Average Stride length: 7.61 metres
ANCIENT Truth is now unbeaten in three starts and won the Group 2 Superlative with something in hand. This was another evenly run contest with the winner recording an FSP of 102.22% made up of a final two furlongs of 23.84secs compared to the runner-up who recorded 24.20secs. He displayed a fine turn of foot to take him to the lead from fifth place.
He recorded splits of 11.16secs and 11.20secs through the fifth and sixth furlong to pull clear of his rivals having had to be switched to the stands’ side. A step up into Group 1 company awaits in the National Stakes and the Dewhurst. He is currently second favourite for the 2000 Guineas at 14/1.
Data Analysis: Ancient Truth
Final Time: 1m 25.28secs (- 0.42secs under the RaceiQ Par)
Fastest Furlong: F5: 11.16secs
Top Speed: 41.46 mph
Maximum stride length: 7.96 metres
Average stride length: 7.45 metres