Taghrooda was rated above average after Ascot by timeform and I'd say Kingman and Australis are above average as well imo. Not that "above average" is anything special but certainly not moderate by definition alone. I do agree they have a bit to prove before their respective rating levels attain any degree of solidity.
I guess I just have very high expectations – to me the best horses are rated in the high 120s or higher. Australia was officially rated 123 after winning the Derby and I do not think that he has improved on that greatly. The poor ride at Leopardstown does not make it a reliable race for reassessing the runner-up, but I do not think that The Grey Gatsby has improved enormously since his Prix Du Jockey Club win either. Taghrooda looked great at Ascot but it is hard to escape from the fact that several of those she beat have not advertised the form since, making it look poorer than it did on the day. I guess she can only beat the opposition as she meets it, so I am not throwing my ante post ticket away yet...
The form may not compare with stellar years but it is hanging together. Taghrooda got beaten at York but every filly (as we know) is excused one off day. The horses that ran well in the Guineas are still running well, the Derby form was franked by Kingston Hill's and Romsdal's run in the Leger. The only horse that has come through is The Grey Gatsby and maybe even he hasn't: it may have been that his Dante win was better than everyone thought. Even at York Hughes said he should have done better and blamed himself. I know it's not a great year but in my mind the form is fairly consistent, and I still think the Epsom form is fairly good.
Did she even have an off day at York? or was she beaten by a very good filly who had rediscovered her own true form? The pair were well clear of the field after all.
I have a feeling that this year’s Arc meeting could turn out to be a pretty good one in terms of open competition. Although there does appear to be a lack of many stand out performers, I cannot recall in the years that I have been attending the British bookies going 6/1 the field less than three weeks before the big race. I am expecting the usual penalty kick for Cirrus Des Aigles in Saturday’s Prix Dollar because he is ineligible for Sunday’s showpiece. I hope that Luca Cumani’s Silk Sari lines up for the Prix Royallieu as she could start decent odds even with the huge deductions on the PMU because the French always back their own.
