By Adam Houghton
The latest rankings are dominated by Amo Racing, with Kia Joorabchian's operation being responsible for three of the five top-rated maiden/novice winners in Britain and Ireland last week.
5. HICKORY LAD (IRE)
James Garfield (Ire) – Park Glen (Ire), by Tagula (Ire)
Timeform performance rating: 89
Runner-up in the Lily Agnes on the opening day of Chester's May Festival, Hickory Lad was reappearing there just seven days after getting off the mark at Musselburgh on April 29. Facing only two rivals in that 5f novice, he was sent off the 4/11 favourite and duly got the job done in straightforward fashion, making all to land the spoils by over two lengths.
Yet to finish out of the first two in three starts, Hickory Lad was certainly well bought by trainer Phil Makin, who picked him up for just €9,000 at the Goffs Autumn Yearling Sale. At Musselburgh, he became the fifth winner from seven runners out of Park Glen, a half-sister to the G3 Chipchase Stakes scorer Knot In Wood (Shinko Forest).
Since finishing second at Chester, Hickory Lad has had the 'p' removed from his Timeform master rating of 89, which underlines that there is unlikely to be loads more improvement to come from him. However, what he has done on his last couple of starts is pay a handsome compliment to Where Love Lives (Cotai Glory), who beat him fairly handily when both horses were making their debut at Thirsk on April 10. Where Love Lives has subsequently had his master rating boosted to 90p.
4. NAPA (IRE)
Naval Crown (GB) – My Wish (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
Timeform performance rating: 90
The first of three new winners for Amo Racing in this week's rankings, Napa left his debut form well behind when landing the 5f novice run at Newmarket on May 3, looking sharper for that initial experience as he reversed the placings with Jaan Ki Tukri (Kodiac) from when they finished third and fourth at Newbury back on April 17. Incidentally, that maiden was won by Blessed Voyager (Bayside Boy) who, with the form working out so well, has had his Timeform master rating raised to 91p.
Here, Napa and Jaan Ki Tukri dominated proceedings more or less throughout, racing in tandem at the head of affairs, before the Kevin Philippart de Foy-trained winner started to turn the screw entering the final two furlongs. From there he steadily asserted to win by a length and a half in comfortable fashion, in the process becoming the second winner in as many days for his first-season sire, Naval Crown.
Whilst Naval Crown is perhaps best known as the winner of the G1 Platinum Jubilee Stakes, the son of Dubawi also won over 1m earlier in his career, which makes Napa eligible to run in the new-look Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot. A 68,000gns purchase by Amo at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, he's from a family that has previous experience at that meeting as his three-parts brother, Pentle Bay (New Bay), filled the runner-up spot in the Listed Chesham Stakes back in 2024.
The new Windsor Castle is the aim for Napa after a fine day at the office for @kpfracing @amoracingltd
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 3, 2026
3. FORCE NOIR (IRE)
Persian Force (Ire) – Princess Rose (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
Timeform performance rating: 92
Amo's Force Noir became the first 'TDN Rising Star' for another freshman sire, Persian Force, when confirming the promise of his debut with a wide-margin victory in the 5f maiden run at Naas on April 27. At the line he was over four lengths clear of his closest pursuer, having put his experience to good use with a powerful front-running display in the hands of David Egan.
With the timefigure providing plenty of substance to the form, Force Noir certainly showed enough to suggest that he'll be worth his place in a higher grade as he became the second next-time-out winner to emerge from Ireland's first two-year-old race of the season, run at the Curragh back on March 15. On that occasion, Force Noir was beaten just a head by Ruler's Control (Territories), who hasn't been seen on a racecourse since but is one look forward to with a Timeform master rating of 93p.
Force Noir, with his own rating of 92p, is proving an early flagbearer for first-season sire Persian Force, following his purchase by Amo Racing for €130,000 at Book 1 of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale. He is a half-brother to the Listed Premio Criterium Varesino Memorial Virginio Curti scorer Andromaca (Poet's Voice), one of five other winners out of the dam.
Force Noir (Persian Force) gets off the mark in style for Robson De Aguiar, @amoracingltd and David Egan ⚪️@IrishEBF_ | @NaasRacecourse pic.twitter.com/6F8b6XVlKx
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 27, 2026
2. EFSIXTEEN (GB)
Havana Grey (GB) – Hot Secret (GB), by Sakhee's Secret (GB)
Timeform performance rating: 93
Less than three weeks after changing hands for 350,000gns at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale, Victorious Forever's Efsixteen proved a model professional when winning the 5f fillies' novice run at Newmarket on May 3, knuckling down really well in the final furlong to beat Lazurite (Blue Point) by half a length, with Crownbreaker (Minzaal) just a neck further back in third.
The speedily-bred Efsixteen became the fourth winner from eight runners out of Hot Secret, with the others including the high-class handicapper Pilgrim, also by Havana Grey and the winner of last month's Scottish Sprint Cup. Hot Secret, in turn, is a half-sister to the G2 Mill Reef Stakes scorer Temple Meads (Avonbridge), as well as Showstoppa (Showcasing), the dam of the G2 Sandy Lane Stakes-winning sire El Caballo, and Harryana To (Compton Place), the dam of the G3 Chipchase Stakes winner Diligent Harry (Due Diligence).
The subsequent black-type winners Dramatised, Soprano and Spicy Marg all feature on the recent roll of honour for this valuable novice, so it will be no surprise should Efsixteen follow in their footsteps by going on to bigger and better things for George Scott. The trio who chased her home each have plenty to recommend them, too, all newcomers with speedy pedigrees and six-figure price tags who should be capable of winning a maiden/novice in the near future.
350,000gns breeze-up buy Efsixteen (Havana Grey) strikes on debut for @oismurphy, @GScottracing and Victorious Forever @NewmarketRace pic.twitter.com/ggM4YU5OTc
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 3, 2026
1. EDWARD THATCH (IRE)
Blackbeard (Ire) – Bright And Sunny (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)
Timeform performance rating: 102
Another one for Amo Racing and another by a first-season sire, in this case Blackbeard, who looks to have a smart prospect on his hands if the manner of Edward Thatch's maiden triumph at Cork on May 3 is anything to go by.
Sent off the even-money favourite in a field of 10, Edward Thatch raced far more efficiently than when finishing third on his debut at the Curragh back on April 3, still tanking along at the head of affairs but managing to maintain the gallop much better this time. Indeed, arguably the most impressive aspect of this performance was his strength at the finish, especially in the testing conditions as he powered clear late on to win by five and a half lengths.
A three-figure timefigure underlines that Edward Thatch was full value for what is a lofty rating at this early stage of the season, with all roads now leading to the G3 Marble Hill Stakes, according to Robson Aguiar. “He got away with 5f today, being on slower ground,” the trainer added. “But, on faster ground, it will have to be 6f for him. I think he could be a 7f or 1m type.”
Whilst Blackbeard never raced beyond 6f when counting the G1 Prix Morny and G1 Middle Park Stakes among his six wins as a juvenile, Edward Thatch has enough stamina on the dam's side of his pedigree to suggest that he could well stay 7f. Bought for €70,000 at Book 1 of the Orby Yearling Sale, he is out of an unraced full-sister to the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial third Iberia.
€
2YO EDWARD THATCH wins at @corkracecourse for @Robsonadeaguiar and Giselle De Aguiar & @amoracingltd
By Blackbeard (@coolmorestud), he was purchased by Invest Bloodstock from Glenvale Stud at #GoffsOrby pic.twitter.com/z0S7adhOhE
— Goffs (@Goffs1866) May 3, 2026
Timeform's Top-Rated Two-Year-Olds (in Britain and Ireland)*
102p Edward Thatch
97p Great Barrier Reef
97 Adonius
94p Adaay Of Scarlett
93p Efsixteen (f)
93p Ruler's Control
92p Force Noir
92p Maria Quiteria (f)
*Up to and including racing on Sunday, May 3
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