IT is very early days in the 2020 international flat racing season but there may not be many performances in it better than the one put up by Ghaiyyath in the Group 3 Dubai Millennium Stakes at Meydan last week.

It was only a Group 3, and the opposition was not especially strong, but Ghaiyyath wiped the floor with them and broke the 2000-metre turf track record in the process. I have a figure of 123 on this (reminder that my ratings are now on the BHA/WBRR level, having previously been about five higher), against Ghaiyyath’s 126 when walking away with the Grosser Preis von Baden last September.