THERE had been signs it might be coming, notably in the Prix de Saint-Georges at Longchamp in May, but the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes finally and indisputably announced Mecca’s Angel’s arrival in the big time of sprinting, not just in 2015 but over a longer timescale.

An authoritative defeat of a very fast and notably well-treated two-year-old in Acapulco, as well as a host of older Group winners, was backed up by the time performance of the season so far. Mecca’s Angel’s 57.24s for the five furlongs was the fourth-fastest in the race at York this century.