IT could certainly be argued that neither Earthlight’s nor Millisle’s Group 1 wins was the best juvenile performance of the week.

My vote would go to Wichita, who landed the Group 3 Tattersalls Stakes at Newmarket on the Thursday in a good time and by seven lengths plus from the useful Persuasion and Ropey Guest, in the process accounting for fourth-placed Monoski by the exact same time lapse of 1.85s that Pinatubo had managed in the National Stakes at the Curragh.

Wichita achieved it running fairly efficiently and gets a 119 rating as a result (Persuasion 97, Ropey Guest 93). This was a most authoritative performance from a horse who strides and shapes like a miler already, for all that his opposition did not amount to a great deal on the day.

Less compelling candidates for top juvenile spot at Newmarket were Daahyeh, winner of the Group 2 Shadwell Rockfel Stakes yesterday week, and Royal Dornoch, who caused a bit of a surprise in the Group 2 Juddmonte Royal Lodge Stakes on Saturday.

Daahyeh (106) quickened well in a truly-run Rockfel but was rather hanging on thereafter as Stylistique (104) came after her and Cloak Of Spirits (104) rallied, with Under The Stars (103) close on their heels. Both Raffle Prize and Love had taken Daahyeh’s measure previously.

Royal Dornoch posted a new juvenile course record (one of three on the card, plus an older-horse one) in holding the rather free-going Kameko by a neck, worth a 109 sectional rating compared to the runner-up’s 108. Third-placed Iberia (105) finished best of all and could have more to give as his stamina is drawn out.

The aforementioned are all in the early stages of their development, but Benbatl has been there, done that and got the T-shirt already. Well, he has got some of the T-shirts. The one he has not got is the one saying “Big-Race Winner in Britain” on it: that could be about to change.

Highly impressive

His win in the Shadwell Joel Stakes on Friday was at Group-2 level as it is, and was highly impressive. A steady opening furlong suppressed the overall time slightly, but there was nothing steady about what took place thereafter, with Benbatl bounding five lengths clear of the “enigmatic” King Of Comedy, including a penultimate furlong in a blistering 10.80s by my reckoning.

A basic timefigure of 120 gets boosted to 129 on the back of those sectionals, which is at least equal to what Benbatl appeared to achieve when a two-length second to the brilliant Winx in the Cox Plate in Australia last October.

Benbatl would have a major chance of adding that elusive home-ground Group 1 win (he has them in Dubai, Germany and Australia) on British Champions Day, with the one-mile Queen Elizabeth II Stakes looking a slightly better option than the Champion Stakes, providing the going is not soft.

Other major older-horse victories at Newmarket were achieved by Withhold (slowly-run listed two-miler, mere 80 timefigure), Agincourt (listed mile for fillies, 102), Mountain Hunter (12-furlong listed, 99), and Spirit Of Appin (Group 3 Muhaarar Stakes, 109).

A strongly-run Cambridgeshire Handicap on Saturday went to the heavily-backed Lord North with a 115 rating which points to him being capable of winning in listed/Group 3 company when the time comes.