Lazuli confirms a good impression in Newbury

THE provision of individual horse finishing times on the BHA website means we know that Umm Kulthum would have finished equal 11th in the Ayr Gold Cup and a narrow second in the Ayr Silver Cup with her time of 1m 12.52s. That is about what would be expected given the quality and maturity of the horses involved.

Nahaarr landed a punt in the Ayr Gold Cup but looked a lost cause for a while (89/1 in running) before storming home to run a 108 figure, which leaves him only just shy of Group 3 calibre himself.

Magical Spirit was far more clear-cut in the Ayr Silver Cup, returning a 101 figure in what might not have been the deepest of contests.

Addeybb had taken the Lsted Doonside Cup earlier on the card, a messy contest in which he returned just a 95 timefigure but emerges well enough on form (carried a 7lb penalty) and can be left on a figure of 120.

There were also listed wins elsewhere last week for Posted (Sandown, 106 after sectionals), Majestic Noor (Yarmouth, 102), Exceptional (Ayr, 102) and Glorious Journey (Newbury, 105 after sectionals), as well as a 102-rated handicap win at Yarmouth for the evergreen Caspian Prince.

Fine impression

Time performance of the week in Ireland and Britain, outside the two-year-olds, came from Lazuli in the Group 3 World Trophy at Newbury, a 114-rated effort which belatedly confirmed the fine impression he had made at Sandown in June.

Equilateral and Ornate, both placed behind Battaash in group races previously, hardly advertised that gelding’s form, and the Charles Hills star has been trimmed to a figure of “just” 122 currently with me.

Elarqam finally returned to the winner’s enclosure in the Group 3 Legacy Cup, also at Newbury, if in just workmanlike style and with the run of things up front. This can be rated no higher than 112, even after upgrading, but he has been left on 115 by me for another run.

Epona Plays was fastest of three nine-and-a-half-furlong winners at Gowran Park on Saturday when landing the Group 3 Denny Cordell Lavarack Lanwades Stud Fillies Stakes, but not by as much as might have been expected over an apprentice handicap and a maiden.

Her basic timefigure here is 96, but she can be left on 100 from her third to Thundering Nights and Albigna at the Curragh the time before.