Autumn Update winner Lake Victoria (9/4)

There were a couple of high-class juvenile performances at Newmarket, most notably from Lake Victoria in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Advised at 9/4 in the Autumn Update, the well bred daughter of Frankel maintained her unbeaten record with a sparkling display on the Rowley Mile. Prominent throughout, Aidan O'Brien's was tackling six furlongs for the first time but it proved no obstacle as she destroyed her six opponents by upwards of three lengths. Out of a Group 1 winning sprinter who relished soft ground, she could return to the same track in a fortnight for the Group 1 Fillies Mile. Ballydoyle is blessed with a formidable team of juvenile fillies and she is certainly hovering around the summit.

Thirty five minutes later, Shadow of Light was similarly emphatic in victory in the Group 1 Middle Park Stakes in a time which was 0.35 seconds slower than Lake Victoria over the same trip. Runner-up in the Gimcrack Stakes at York last month, Charlie Appleby's colt stepped up on that effort with a career best performance stretching away from O'Brien's Whistlejacket. The former champion trainer suggested afterwards that the son of Lope De Vega will be kept to sprint trips next year with the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot his number one target next June. 

Unfortunately, the selections in the Cambridgeshire failed to land a blow with those drawn on the far side holding a distinct advantage. Indeed, the first seven home emerged from stalls 4,2,11,6,3,8 and 5 with the Karl Burke trained Liberty Lane proving too good and recording his second C&D win ine 2024. Norwalk Havoc (drawn 26) fared best of the selections racing in the middle of the track before staying on in ninth. 

Switching codes, last season's Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices' Chase winner Il Est Francais made a successful return to action at Auteuil on Saturday. The Tom George and Amanda Zetterholm trained youngster hadn't been seen since disappointing at the same track in the spring but he was back to winning ways in a Grade 3 chase over two miles six. Racing and jumping with plenty of enthusiam, James Reveley's mount was in control throughout the final circuit scoring by seven lengths. Expected to tackle Grade 1 company at the Parisian track in November, the six year old will then head back to Kempton for the King George on Boxing Day.

Featured in last year's Top 40, Il Est Francais is discussed in the new edition of One Jump Ahead - indeed, there are two ante-post selections for the Festive showpiece event. OJA was published on Friday and all pre-orders will be sent out from early this week. If you haven't already ordered your copy, plus the Updates, please head to the Publications section of the site.