MECCA’S Angel (40) set a strong pace and kept going to win the Group 3 Dubai Airport World Trophy in a fast time at Newbury. As a two-year-old she tired late to run second twice on soft ground over five furlongs but seems to be getting home a lot better now she’s older. She’s won all four times that she’s run five furlongs this season.

Sprinters tend to improve with age, so I think the plan to skip the Abbaye with Mecca’s Angel and focus on next season is a good one. It’s rare for a three-year-old to run as fast as she did here over five furlongs. She could easily improve to Group 1 class next term.