Ratings Update: Arc weekend reaction

Tony McFadden provides the Timeform ratings reaction following Ace Impact's impressive success in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Ace Impact earned a Timeform rating of 133p for his stylish success in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp on Sunday, propelling him to the head of Timeform's European standings and placing him behind only Equinox (135) among the world's best.

Westover (131 from 132) had previously been Timeform's highest-rated horse in Europe but, while he ran well in second, he had no answer to the brilliant turn of foot unleashed by Ace Impact.

Ace Impact, who was a strong favourite on the back of a perfect five from five record that included the French Derby, had only three rivals behind him as they turned into the straight. However, he picked up powerfully down the outside and passed most of the field in the penultimate furlong before going on to win comfortably by a length and three-quarters on his first start at a mile and a half.

His effort is rated as the best in the race since Enable was so impressive when landing the first of her Arcs in 2017, and is also of similar merit to the performances posted by the last couple of three-year-old colts to win the race - Golden Horn (2015) and Workforce (2010).

Ace Impact may have been given a fairly conventional prep by Jean-Claude Rouget after his top-level breakthrough in the French Derby, contesting a Group 2 at Deauville seven weeks prior to the Arc. However, the start to his career was notable. He won on the all-weather at Cagnes-Sur-Mer in January on his debut, which marks him out as the first Arc winner since Rail Link in 2006 who didn't run as a juvenile.

It was nearly a one-two for the home team as Onesto (128 from 125) - who is trained by Fabrice Chappet - finished with a flourish and would have taken the runner-up spot in another stride or two. He had been disappointing in the Irish Champion Stakes on his previous outing but is clearly a high-class performer on his day.

Fifth-place Continuous (125 from 124) also emerged with plenty of credit, running to a similar level as he had when winning the St Leger. This was a big effort after only a couple of weeks and on unseasonably quick ground, leaving the impression there could be more to come from him next season when granted a stiffer test at the trip.

There were three Group 1 wins for British and Irish raiders on Arc day, starting with Richard Hannon's Rosallion (116p from 110p) in the opening Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere. He had disappointed when racing too keenly without cover in a steadily-run race in the Champagne Stakes at Doncaster last month, but, able to secure more cover in this larger field, he got back on the up and registered a smart performance to beat Unquestionable (113 from 109) by a length. A rating of 116p places Rosallion behind only four other juveniles this season, while the last winner of the Jean-Luc Lagardere to post a better performance in the race was National Defense back in 2016.

Opera Singer (114p from 104p) put up the best performance by a two-year-old filly this season when powering five lengths clear in the Prix Marcel Boussac to establish herself as the market leader for next year's 1000 Guineas. Opera Singer had shown run-by-run improvement on each start and took another significant step forward at Longchamp, earning the highest rating in the Prix Marcel Boussac since Found - who was also trained by Aidan O'Brien - landed the prize in 2014.

Blue Rose Cen (remains 118) also won the Prix Marcel Boussac by five lengths last season and she returned to strike on Arc day, not needing to improve on the form she had shown in the French Oaks to land the Prix de l'Opera. Blue Rose Cen had met with a couple of defeats following her wins in the French Guineas and French Oaks but she showed a good attitude to return to winning ways in the Prix de l'Opera, deserving credit for pegging back one who got first run in a tactical affair.

Highfield Princess (remains 121) didn't need to run up to her best to land a messy edition of the Prix de l'Abbaye but Kelina (121 from 112) took a big step forward on previous efforts to spring a surprise and deny last year's winner Kinross in the Prix de la Foret.

Ace Impact's part-owners, Gousserie Racing, also have a 50% share in Horizon Dore (123 from 116) who underlined his own top-level credentials and striking turn of foot with a very smart effort in the Prix Dollar at Longchamp on Saturday.

A cosy length-and-three quarter success at Longchamp made it four wins in a row for Horizon Dore who shot to the head of the betting for the Champion Stakes. For context, King of Steel and Bay Bridge, the next two in the market, are rated 126 and 125 respectively, so the upwardly mobile Horizon Dore doesn't have much to find with some of the leading players on form.

The two Group 1s on Saturday's card, the Prix du Cadran and Prix de Royallieu, were won by British challengers Trueshan (remains 120) and Sea Silk Road (116 from 113). Sea Silk Road had come up short in the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille over a mile and a half but appreciated the step up to a mile and three-quarters, swooping to the front over a furlong out and scoring by three lengths.

There was also top-class action at Newmarket on Saturday as the track staged the Cheveley Park and Middle Park Stakes. The Cheveley Park, weakened by the withdrawal of Relief Rally due to a bad scope, was won by Porta Fortuna (108 from 103), though she is the lowest-rated winner since 2012.

There was an above-average winner of the Middle Park, though, as Vandeek (119p from 115p) extended his unbeaten record to four with a decisive two-and-a-quarter-length success over Task Force (111p from 100p) who edged out River Tiber (110 from 110p) for the runner-up spot. Vandeek earned a rating of 119p which means he is behind only Henry Longfellow (120p) in the juvenile pecking order this season, while the last winner of the Middle Park to earn a higher rating than Vandeek was Shalaa in 2015.

Vandeek seems unlikely to stay a mile but Task Force, who is by a Guineas winner in Frankel and out of another one in Special Duty, looks set to improve as he steps up in trip. He stuck to his task well in second and should go on progressing.

There was another notable effort by a juvenile in the Royal Lodge Stakes as Ghostwriter (110p from 97p) found the best turn of foot to extend his unbeaten start to three, while Astro King (119 from 115) proved better than ever to defy top weight in the Cambridgeshire. Astro King stayed on strongly to overhaul the well-backed and progressive Greek Order (remains 110p) and showed a level of form that suggests he'll be entitled to plenty of respect in minor Group and listed company.

There was a good edition of the Rockfel Stakes the previous afternoon at Newmarket that was won by Carla's Way (108p from 95p). She had shaped well when runner-up on testing ground at Goodwood on her previous start and seemed suited by the return to firmer going at Newmarket, impressing with how well she travelled.

She's likely to get a mile, though the runner-up, Shuwari (107p from 102p) seems set to benefit from that stiffer test of stamina based on how well she saw things out here after being further back than ideal. She shaped better than the bare result and has been rated accordingly, while it's also worth noting she has a strong piece of form to her name having beaten the subsequent Moyglare winner Fallen Angel in a Sandown listed race.