Ratings experts Timeform consider Bow Echo to be 8lb clear of his nearest rival, Gstaad, ahead of their much-anticipated rematch in today’s G1 St James’s Palace Stakes.
The son of Night Of Thunder recorded a rating of 131p for his romp in the 2000 Guineas, when he pulled two and three-quarter lengths clear of Gstaad.
That was the highest rating recorded in the race since Frankel (135) in 2011, evidencing the exceptional level of performance he displayed in the opening Classic of the season.
Gstaad has since won the Irish 2000 Guineas. However, he didn’t have to improve on his Newmarket rating to be victorious that day, and the current Timeform rankings suggest he must take a big step forward if he’s to turn the tables with George Boughey’s star colt today.
Timeform’s Andrew Asquith said: “It looks a cracking renewal of the St James’s Palace Stakes which sees Bow Echo and Gstaad clash for the second time.
“Bow Echo comprehensively got the better of Gstaad in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month where he produced the best performance (131) in the race since Frankel, verifying him as a top-class colt on Timeform’s scale.
“Gstaad has since won the Irish version in good fashion, but he still has plenty to find with Bow Echo on Timeform ratings.
“Indeed, Bow Echo is at least 8lb clear of his rivals on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and, with further improvement anticipated, he should prove very hard to beat.
“Only Frankel, Dawn Approach and Pinatubo have been rated higher than Bow Echo at this stage of their three-year-old careers this century – and the first and second named were both successful in the St James’s Palace.”
READ MORE: Horse racing news: Timeform’s key statistics ahead of Royal Ascot 2026
St James’s Palace Stakes (master ratings):
131p Bow Echo
123 Gstaad
119p Talk of New York
114 Puerto Rico
108 Power Blue
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