MUMTAZ MAHAL as a two-year-old

The top 12 Oaks winners from the book 'A Century Of Champions':

PRETTY POLLY 137
SUN CHARIOT 136
SCEPTRE 135
GODIVA 134
ROCKFEL 134
PETITE ETOILE 134
FIFINELLA 133
NOBLESSE 133
DUNFERMLINE 133
BALANCHINE 132
SAUCY SUE 131
MELD 131

The top 16 Derby winners from the book 'A Century Of Champions':

SEA BIRD 145
HYPERION 142
MILL REEF 141
NIJINSKY 140
SHERGAR 140
WINDSOR LAD 139
BAHRAM 139
GAY CRUSADER 138
PINZA 138
TROY 138
GENEROUS 138
ARD PATRICK 137
GAINSBOROUGH 137
BLUE PETER 137
CREPELLO 137
GRUNDY 137

From 1988, 189 3yo's with an official rating of 125/+ have remained in training.
Of these, only 20 improved using the accepted +/-3lbs margin of error.
In the last 25 years, the only horses to meet the above criteria are:
Dubai Millennium
Goldikova
Frankel
Excelebration
Baaeed

It's The Derby at Epsom next Saturday, and here is some of what the sectionals and striding say about the main contenders.

attheraces.com/blogs/sectiona…

Retirement surely beckons for the runner-up...I've banged this drum before, but most top-class 3-year-olds regress into their third season, having already reached their peak.

Nightime, trained by Dermot Weld and ridden by Pat Smullen, became the first Classic winner for her sire Galileo when bolting up by 6 Lengths in a heavy-ground renewal of the Irish 1000 Guineas in 2006...the filly never won again.

The leading juvenile filly in 2003, Attraction won the 1000 Guineas on her seasonal reappearance. Three weeks later, the daughter of Efisio secured the Guineas double at the Curragh defeating future five-time Group One winner Alexander Goldrun.
Timeform Rating 125.

A two-length runner-up to Shadayid in the 1000 Guineas, Kooyonga recorded her first Group One win in the 1991 Irish 1000 Guineas. The following season, she became only the second filly, at that time, to win the Eclipse Stakes.
Timeform Rating 125.

In The Groove followed up her Musidora Stakes win with a 3 length success in the 1990 Irish 1000 Guineas. Fourth to Salsabil in the Oaks, In The Groove defeated Eclipse winner Elmaamul in the Juddmonte International and ended the year beating Linamix in the Champion Stakes.

Beaten favourite for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, Sonic Lady rewarded favourite backers next time out with a smooth success in the Irish equivalent...it initiated a five race win streak (Coronation, Child, Sussex Stakes and Prix du Moulin), securing her champion miler honours.

Lady Capulet (Tommy Murphy up) wins the 1977 Irish 1000 Guineas on her racecourse debut.
The daughter of Sir Ivor was placed on her only other career starts in the Coronation Stakes and Pretty Polly Stakes. As a broodmare, Lady Capulet produced the influential sire, El Prado.

Pantomime Queen, trained by Hubert Hartigan, completed the Irish 1000 Guineas/Irish Oaks double in 1954.
The filly is pictured being led in following her Oaks success with G Cooney up (Billy Nevett rode her to win the mile Classic).

OH SO SHARP (IRE). Chestnut Mare Kris - Oh So Fair by Graustark. Winner of the 1000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks, and St Leger for Sheikh Mohammed, with her first foal, a colt by Dunbeath (Ben Alisky), 1987.

Frankel has now sired 139 individual stakes winners as MEYDAAN (Frankel x Nezwaah) wins the Cocked Hat Stakes.

Another stakes winner bred on a Frankel x Dubawi cross.

Kingman never gave his odds-on backers an anxious moment when bolting up by 5 Lengths in the 2014 Irish 2000 Guineas. Blessed with an exceptional turn of foot, he followed up in the St James's Palace, Sussex Stakes and Prix Jacques Le Marois, securing champion miler honours.

9-4 favourite Canford Cliffs defeated Free Judgement by 3 lengths to land the 2010 Irish 2000 Guineas. Wins in the St James's Palace, Sussex, Lockinge and Queen Anne Stakes followed before a career-ending defeat by Frankel in the 2011 'Duel on the Downs'.

Sent off joint-favourite for the 2005 Irish 2000 Guineas, Dubawi quickened impressively to beat Ballydoyle's Oratorio by 2 lengths.
Established as one of the world's leading stallions, Dubawi currently has 57 individual Group one winners to his credit.

Rock Of Gibraltar completed the 2000 Guineas double when defeating stable-companion Century City on a tight-rein at the Curragh in 2000 (picture).
He eclipsed Mill Reef's European record when registering his seventh consecutive Group one win in the Prix du Moulin.

Purchased as a yearling for $650,000, Prince Of Birds (Declan Gillespie up) defeated his better fancied stable-mate Caerwent to win the 1988 Irish 2000 Guineas.
The success gave trainer Vincent O'Brien the last of his five wins in the classic.