Five ratings risers from Cheltenham's Paddy Power meeting

Burdett Road (Timeform rating h135p from h119p)

Burdett Road was a useful performer on the Flat - he won the Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot and was placed in Group 3 company - and has created a big impression in two starts over hurdles, quickly marking himself out as a contender for Grade 1 honours in the spring.

Burdett Road faced a much stiffer task at Cheltenham than he had on his hurdling debut at Huntingdon, where his class enabled him to win with plenty in hand despite pulling too hard. However, he completed the job in impressive style at Cheltenham, showing a rare burst to lead on the run-in and surge six and a half lengths clear.

That Grade 2 was run at just a modest gallop, so it reflects well on Burdett Road that he was able to assert his superiority so emphatically.

He'll need to progress somewhere in the region of 10 lb to win a typical renewal of the Triumph Hurdle but he could well have that sort of effort in his locker and he is setting the early standard among the British and Irish juveniles.

Stage Star (c165 from c158)

A Timeform rating of 165 is the benchmark for a top-class chaser and Stage Star hit that figure with an authoritative success in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, dominating what is traditionally one of the strongest handicaps in the calendar.

Stage Star scored by four lengths from Notlongtillmay - who he had beaten by three and a quarter lengths on 3 lb better terms in the Grade 1 Turners Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival - but that margin would have been wider had he not blundered badly at the last and slithered on landing.

It reflects really well on Stage Star that he was able to pick up again on the run-in and reassert his authority, and his performance is rated as the best by a Paddy Power winner since Al Ferof (167) struck in 2012. The only other Paddy Power winner to put up a better performance than Stage Star this century was Cyfor Malta (166) in 2002.

Stage Star's performance was backed up by an excellent timefigure of 164 and it's no surprise that he has been so well supported for the Ryanair Chase - he matched the form Envoi Allen showed when winning last season's Ryanair.

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Baby Kate (b109 from b88+)

It's still early days in the season but Willie Mullins has already unleashed a couple of mares who are likely to prove among the best of their sex in bumpers.

Aurora Vega, a daughter of six-time Cheltenham Festival winner Quevega, earned a Timeform rating of 110p when making it three from three in listed company at Gowran Park, while Baby Kate earned a similar figure for her display in a listed race at Cheltenham on Saturday.

Baby Kate, a daughter of Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Augusta Kate, hadn't looked anything out of the ordinary when winning a Ballinrobe bumper by a length but she had clearly learned plenty from that experience and, with the test of stamina in her favour, she showed much improved form to forge four and a quarter lengths clear.

The highest-rated mare in the bumper division last season was Dysart Enos (114), while the only other bumper mares to reach a figure of 109 were Junta Marvel and Fun Fun Fun.

Baby Kate's performance at Cheltenham was the best in that race since Bitofapuzzle - a subsequent Grade 1 winner - scored in style in 2014.

Jonbon (c174 from c169)

The dual Champion Chase winner Energumene may have been ruled out for the season but the two-mile division still contains a couple of top-notchers in Sporting Life Arkle winner El Fabiolo (175p) and Jonbon, who proved better than ever when slamming his rivals in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Jonbon was beaten five and a half lengths by El Fabiolo when suffering his sole defeat of a six-race campaign in the Sporting Life Arkle, but the performance he produced on his reappearance suggests that he'll be a tougher nut to crack this time around.

Jonbon, who was partnered for the first time over jumps by Nico de Boinville, was allowed to stride on after the fourth-last and he had matters well under control by the time they turned into the straight, leaving Edwardstone, who is a top-class two-miler on his day, toiling in his wake.

That victory took Jonbon's record under Rules to 11 wins from 13 starts - his only defeats have been against Constitution Hill and El Fabiolo - and his new Timeform rating means that the only chasers in training rated higher are Galopin des Champs (180), Energumene (180), Allaho (178), Shishkin (176) and El Fabiolo (175p).

Brechin Castle (b111p from b106p)

Brechin Castle had looked a superb prospect when quickly settling matters on his bumper debut at Sedgefield last month and he built on that positive impression in a much more competitive environment at Cheltenham on Sunday.

Brechin Castle took the step up to listed level in his stride, again showing a bright turn of foot to settle matters and leaving the impression there's more to come.

There was a poor British turnout in the Champion Bumper last season - the home team fielded only five of the 21 runners - but Brechin Castle already stands out as a serious Festival contender.

The only British bumper horses who earned a higher Timeform rating than 111 last season were Captain Teague (118), Dysart Enos (114), Florida Dreams (114), Indeevar Bleu (113p) and Crest of Glory (112).

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