BY the age of six, most flat horses have completed any progression they might be capable of and are even beginning to disappear down the other side.

Exceptions sometimes need to be made for horses trained by Sir Michael Stoute, and one clearly needs to be made for Dream Of Dreams, who put up an astonishing performance to win the Group 2 Hungerford Stakes at Newbury by seven lengths in a notably fast time.

The gelding has got near to big-race success before, coming second in the last two Diamond Jubilees, but somehow this was his first win at group level.

In the process, he showed a clean pair of heels to some decidedly useful rivals, was hard on the bridle for nearly all of the seven-furlong trip, and ran more than 3.0s quicker than Saint Lawrence (a two-year-old, admittedly) managed in winning a listed race earlier on the card.

It would be possible to rate this effort in the high-120s in isolation, with sectionals confirming that it was achievedwith efficient pacing, but I have settled on 123 and want to see him do it again. That still puts Dream Of Dreams in joint-fifth among older horses on my figures. Perhaps there is hope for all us superannuated underachievers yet!

Stoute had already struck with Group 3 Regal Reality in the Sovereign Stakes at Salisbury, a race the five-year-old won by three and a half lengths, though this was merely a return to form (in a first-time visor) rather than a new high. The time was decent compared to other mile ones on the card and I have a basic rating of 113, upgraded to 116 on sectionals.

The other big winning performance in Britain in the pre-York period came from Hukum in the Group 3 Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Geoffrey Freer Stakes at Newbury, not in terms of overall time (which was ordinary) but in terms of how he did it, including a swift 47.0s for the last four furlongs (111.2% finishing speed).

The upshot is that Hukum is now rated 117 and looks a good candidate for the St Leger in a year when plenty are queuing up for that honour. Max Vega was back to his two-year-old best in second on 111.

Special mentions are also merited for the winner of the Group 3 Rose of Lancaster Stakes at Haydock on August 8th, Extra Elusive, under a fine ride from Hollie Doyle (112, including a big upgrade for sectionals in a messy race), and for the listed winners Veracious (Haydock, 97), Judicial (Chester, 112), Alpinista (Salisbury, 102) and Stormy Girl (Pontefract, 98).