Darley-sired two-year-olds on top with Timeform

This week’s Timeform ratings certainly make pleasant reading for the Darley stallions, with Dubawi and Iffraaj (pictured) responsible for Europe’s top-two juvenile fillies following their successes at Royal Ascot last month.

Kiyoshi (Dubawi) romped home in a highly-competitive renewal of the G3 Albany Stakes, winning by almost four lengths. This performance earned her a Timeform rating of 109p and with the manner of her victory (by a wide margin despite showing signs of greenness in the closing stages), it is easy to see why Timeform’s judges feel there is more to come from this talented filly.

Earlier in the week, Iffraaj’s daughter Rizeena put up a similarly-impressive performance to land the Queen Mary, progressing beautifully from her Listed win at Sandown two weeks prior to take the G2 contest by two lengths. She is rated just a pound behind Kiyoshi and will reappear in this Friday’s G2 Cherry Hinton Stakes at Newmarket.

Kheleyf’s two-year-olds continue to impress, with his son Big Time allotted a rating of 108p following his impressive maiden victory followed by a close second in the G2 Railway Stakes.

After his brilliant comeback in the G1 St James’s Palace Stakes, Dawn Approach (New Approach) remains the highest-rated three-year-old in the world on 130.

Dubawi’s latest flagbearer, the brilliant Al Kazeem, is now rated 129 – third in the older horse rankings behind only Cirrus des Aigles and Farhh. Last Saturday he recorded his third straight G1 victory, winning the Eclipse in his typically gutsy fashion.

Dubawi currently has three horses rated 125-plus – more than any other stallion in the world this year.