Close to perfect

Jim Bolger's youngster boasted a higher rating than any of last season's juveniles going into the Dewhurst and his victory in the Group One contest cemented his position at the top of the tree.

His freshman sire, New Approach, had won the contest in 2007 running to an exceptional 126 but his son looks likely to have to settle for a lower mark.

Matthew Tester, the official handicapper for two year olds, had Dawn Approach on a mark of 121 going into this race from his win in the National Stakes but revealed that there were a few seconds in the race when he thought that he might lose.

Writing in the handicappers' blog on www.britishhorseracing.com, Tester said: "There is a difference of opinions amongst my international colleagues as to whether he should now be rated 121 or 122. The proximity of his stable-mate Leitir Mor is the fly in the ointment since he was only rated 105 before the race.

Large Fly

"However, apart from that large fly, everything else falls into place. On my reading he gave an 8lbs beating to George Vancouver. In the Prix Morny, Reckless Abandon had given the same horse a two pounds beating. So it makes sense to have Dawn Approach six pounds ahead of Reckless Abandon's 116.

"We will work it all out when the European Handicappers meet in December. Either way he remains the top-rated juvenile in Europe."

Reckless Abandon had, of course, won the Middle Park Stakes earlier on the card and Tester was happy with the way that race worked out.

The assessor had Reckless Abandon on 116 with Moohajim on 115 going into Newmarket and revealed that both ratings stayed where they were having confirmed the levels the handicappers already had for the Prix Morny and the Mill Reef Stakes.

Top Sprinter

Stephen Hindle, writing in the same blog, revealed that the recently retired Mayson emerged as the best horse in the Prix de l'Abbaye, running to a rating of 116 with the winner Wizz Kid rated 114.

Hindle has left Mayson's rating unchanged on 119 - a mark he achieved when winning the July Cup - and the handicapper believes that "it will take a dazzling performance by someone to knock him off his perch as the leading British trained sprint horse this year."

Other news from Newmarket saw Charlie Hills' Rockfel Stakes winner Just The Judge awarded an initial mark of 106 while Montiridge - second to the Bolger-trained Treading Leather in the Autumn Stakes - was handed a rating of 104.

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