Supremacy in control of the juveniles

WE are likely to have a different leader in the two-year-old division every two to three weeks from this point on, but for now it is Supremacy, whose decisive win in the Group 2 Qatar Richmond Stakes at Goodwood on the Thursday ousted previous incumbent Master Of The Seas.

In beating Yazaman by four lengths, Supremacy beat that rival by further than 109-rated Tactical had done in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot and the July Stakes at Newmarket, and he did it in a good time, worth 114 on my figures.

That also results in figures of 104 on Yazaman, 102 on Lauded and 97 on Admiral Nelson, who looked more like the colt who had made such a favourable impression when winning at the Curragh on his debut.

While clearly having plenty of speed, Supremacy strides like one who will get a bit further than this six furlongs.

The other big two-year-old winner at Goodwood (Battleground having been dealt with in this column last week) was Steel Bull, who got the gaps in time to beat Ben Macdui by three quarters of a length in the Group 3 Molecomb Stakes on Wednesday.

This was probably not a strong edition of the race, but the time was useful – Steel Bull is now rated 105, including a small upgrade for sectionals – and the winner certainly impressed with how strongly he travelled and saw off his race at this sharp five furlongs.

Ben Macdui (101) gets credit for a much improved effort also.

Steel Bull’s time was 0.22s (a length and a half) quicker than Miss Jingles’s in winning a fillies’ conditions’ race later on the card, making that one a 98 performance with runner-up Country Carnival on 97.

Both times were surpassed with ease the following day, when the ground had got quicker, by Acklam Express (97), an impressive winner of a nursery by four and a quarter lengths.

Mark Of The Man (89) took the seven-furlong nursery at Goodwood on Thursday but it may well be worth persevering with the well-handicapped third William Bligh (91 here, 97 previously), who ended up doing plenty up front and whose previous form came on softer.

The “backing top weights in early nurseries” system delivered at Goodwood on Friday week with Zamaani, who did look something of a good thing off a BHA mark of 89.

He scored readily, returning a 95 timefigure.