Darkness Falls held off Desert Castle in a thrilling finish to Saturday's Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket's Future Champions Festival, the most significant juvenile contest of the year.
Rock Montreal, winner of the Autumn Stakes, is another with 2000 Guineas aspirations, but the star of the weekend was Musical Times. The Godolphin filly stretched her unbeaten record despite finding trouble in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile on Friday.
Musical Times' Classic Target
Musical Times is now 8-1 ante-post favourite for next year's Oaks. There is stamina in her pedigree, but the data suggests she might struggle to be effective beyond 1m2f.
The 1000 Guineas – she is 7-2 with William Hill – is a more suitable Classic target.
Appleby's Ascot Absence
There are no less than five Group 1 races on Qatar Racing British Champions Day, but one man has been conspicuous by his absence. Charlie Appleby has had just nine runners at Ascot's end-of-season celebrations. His only winner came with his first runner when Creative Force landed the Sprint in 2021. Since then, he has had eight runners without success.
The Godolphin trainer's only representative last year was Words Of Truth, who was beaten favourite at 11-10 in the inaugural juvenile contest. He has five entries this Saturday – including ante-post favourites Talk Of New York (QE II Stakes) and Inner City Blues (Two-Year-Old Conditions) – but it's clearly not a meeting he targets.
Menuisier's Resurgence
It's been a year to forget for David Menuisier. The Sussex-based Frenchman went without a single winner in July and August, but whatever was ailing his team looks to have been resolved. It took him until 23 September to break the drought, but in the last three weeks he has trained five winners from just 21 runners for a level-stakes profit of more than 28pts. Add to those stats his placed horses at 18-1, 12-1 and 10-1, and it's clear we're dealing with a trainer firmly back in the groove.
Unreliable Market for Skelton
The jumps season kicked up a notch last weekend with Chepstow's three-day Dragonbet Welsh Racing Festival. Champion trainer Dan Skelton was, predictably, among the winners with five victories, but it was another reminder that the market isn't always the best guide to his youngsters.
Four of his winners came from hurdling debutantes and, although impressive Friday scorer Cooltobecareless was evens favourite, the others were sent off at 33-1, 14-1 and 7-1.
