Harzand and Minding tied neck and neck

Any clash between the top three year olds, Harzand and Minding, is only likely to happen in October’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe but official handicap ratings suggest there is nothing between Ireland’s pair of dual-classic winners.

Harzand tops the three year old ratings on a mark of 123 after completing the Epsom-Curragh Derby double last weekend.

A day later Minding added to her English 1,000 Guineas and Oaks successes with a routine victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes which maintained the filly’s official classification of 120. Should the two ever clash however, Minding, will receive a 3lb sex allowance.

“I wouldn’t like to call it between the two of them,” said Ireland’s senior handicapper Garry O’Gorman who nevertheless stressed that it is the Gold Cup hero Order Of St George who officially tops the Irish ratings on the mark of 124 he earned for his Leger rout at the Curragh last year.

It is the Ballydoyle trio of Minding, Order Of St George and the Epsom Derby runner up US Army Ranger who are behind Harzand and Postponed in ante-post Arc betting right now.

Curiously however O'Gorman has confirmed that US Army Ranger's official rating of 121, which places him towards the top of the three year old pecking order, takes account of how his jockey Ryan Moore weighed in 1lb overweight after finishing second to Harzand at Epsom.

“US Army Ranger was rated 120 immediately afterwards but the handicapper at the BHA (British Horseracing Authority) has officially communicated that Ryan Moore weighed in 1lb overweight so US Army Ranger is now on 121,” O’Gorman said.

The precise reason as to why Moore weighed in overweight is unclear although Harzand did have a length and a half in hand of his rival at Epsom.

Moore’s association with Minding has been one of the highlights of the classic year so far, resulting in speculation that the five-time Group One winner could be the best filly Aidan O’Brien has ever trained. That honour officially remains with the 2007 Irish Oaks heroine, Peeping Fawn.

“Minding was rated the best two year old since Park Appeal in 1984 and she has hardly gone backwards since. But she is still 2lbs shy of Peeping Fawn who remains the highest rated filly Aidan has trained,” O’Gorman said.

“Peeping Fawn never met colts in her racing career so we couldn’t be sure how good she was. I hope we will find out with Minding. There are plenty of options there but it might depend on what the colts from her stable do.

More versatile

“Compared to Harzand she does appear more versatile. She has won Group Ones at a mile, a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half. Neither distance or ground seem to matter to her whereas you would think Harzand will always like a dig, and a mile and a half appears to be his optimum distance,” he added.

The one filly to beat Minding this year was Jet Setting who edged the verdict in a thrilling Irish 1,000 Guineas finish in May.

Jet Setting has since been bought by the China Horse Club for over €1.5 million before failing to fire in Royal Ascot's Coronation Stakes. Her trainer Adrian Keatley is now targeting another Group One prize, the Matron Stakes, over 'Irish Champions Weekend' in September.