NOBODY has a richer history in the Brigadier Gerard Stakes than Sir Michael Stoute and the veteran trainer added to his record tally when Bay Bridge (125+) was a classy winner of this year’s renewal last Thursday week.

The clock confirmed the performance was on a par with Group 1 level and the substance of the overall time figure is confirmed through the performance of Mostahdaf (118) (previously unbeaten at Sandown) as John and Thady Gosden’s colt ran to the same figure as when winning the Group 3 Gordon Richards Stakes earlier in the season.

Ryan Moore oozed confidence throughout, waiting until passing the two-furlong marker to ask the son of New Bay for maximum effort.

The eventual winning margin of five lengths was achieved for minimal pressure from Moore as the partnership covered the final three furlongs in 36.69secs.

The Whipmaster (90), a winner at Lingfield subsequently, clocked a slightly faster closing sectional as he stopped the clock at 36.52secs, however Gary Moore’s winner was 2.82secs slower in covering the same distance so would have been an enormous 17 lengths behind Bay Bridge at the finish despite his finishing effort.

The Prince Of Wales’s Stakes at Royal Ascot is next on the agenda as the joint James Wigan and Ballylinch Stud-owned colt embarks on a summer of competing at the highest level.

Staying races

Quickthorn (111) does not have Ascot on his agenda although he will have his chance in other Group 1 staying races this season if repeating the performance which saw him victorious in the Henry II Stakes.

Hughie Morrison’s gelding had run a personal best at Ascot on his most recent outing but stepped up again here as Tom Marquand adopted different tactics.

Ignoring the remainder of the field early and racing in a straight line from a wide draw, the partnership led passing the winning post on their to executing their front-running tactics to perfection.

The closing sectional of 40.16secs was the slowest of the evening, but at no stage of the final three furlongs did any of the pursuing pack look like passing Quickthorn as the five-year-old had already drawn their finishing effort.

In fact, he was further ahead of the runner-up Nate The Great (109) at the line than when passing the two-furlong marker. On my figures this rates the best staying performance of the summer to date.

Nate The Great will have the option of dropping back into handicap company and his entry in the Northumberland Plate at Newcastle is intriguing as Andrew Balding’s gelding has already enjoyed the winning feeling on the Tapeta at Gosforth Park.

At the opposite end of the distance spectrum, the National Stakes developed into a titanic tussle between Irish raider Crispy Cat (98) and David O’Meara’s filly Maria Branwell (98+), who eventually prevailed.

The distance back to the third home marks both juveniles down as being above average and the time figure was strong, while the winner’s closing sectional of 24.54secs confirmed the main protagonists maintained their speed to the line.

Impressive on her debut at Thirsk, the filly ran to the same time figure at the Esher track on Thursday to book her place for Royal Ascot where the Albany Stakes would seem the logical option.

My concern would be her tendency to shift left in the finish which was evident in both races.

The daughter of James Garfield clearly possesses the ability to be competitive in the Group 3 contest if granted a draw near the stand’s side rail.

The handicap won by Rebel Territory (102) could also pay to follow going forward.

Amanda Perrett’s gelding proved strongest in a driving finish with Ouzo (102) in a race run at a similarly strong gallop to the group contests on the round track. In the circumstances a closing sectional of 37.27secs is creditable and suggests there are handicaps in the offing for both as the season develops.