This was the penultimate evening card of the season in Madrid. The ratings for the 3 races are below and as has been the trend on the sand track in the last few weeks, the times continue to be fast. I have discussed in the past that the assumption that an artificial surface always rides the same is simply not true and it can vary based on the time of year, the temperatures and the amount of moisture in the surface at any one time.
I don't think that we learned a huge amount of new information from these 3 races as by the time we get into August most of the form of the older horses is there for all to see. The standout performance was clearly by Legionario. This was a 5th win in his last 6 starts in Spain and although he missed over a year between April 2022 and May 2023, he looks to have held his form well and has only found the Gran Premio Claude Carudel a bit too hot so far this season. In 2022, he won the Listed Prix Saonois at Cagnes-Sur-Mer and on his day, he is a genuine 100+ performer. He made all the running to win this race against what look to be inferior rivals, but the fact that he has run such a fast time does boost this form and given that he has ventured to France in the past, he may be a horse to look out for in the south later in the year.
