Ratings: Update: Pride of Arras the pick of classic trial winners 2q446f

Pride of Arras (Timeform rating 119p from 92P) was taking a big step up in class on his reappearance in the Dante Stakes having won a Sandown maiden last August on his only previous outing, but he proved up to the task to establish himself as a leading Derby contender.

Pride of Arras's new Timeform rating marks him out as the pick of the middle-distance classic trial winners this spring, with only 2000 Guineas winner Ruling Court (123) rated higher among the Derby contenders. An ordinary pace until halfway in the Dante impacted the overall time and means the bare form can't be rated too highly, but Pride of Arras was value for more than the winning margin given the trouble he met and the ease with which he asserted his authority, so his performance has been upgraded.

Pride of Arras is bidding to follow in the footsteps of North Light, Motivator, Authorized, Golden Horn and Desert Crown who all won the Dante and Derby this century. Desert Crown, the latest horse to do the double, was rated 121p after also winning the Dante on only his second start.

A day earlier, Whirl (114p from 97p) was an emphatic winner of the fillies' classic trial, the Musidora Stakes. Whirl had finished only sixth in the Group 3 Park Express Stakes on her return at the Curragh last month but she took a huge step forward with that outing under her belt. Whirl was tackling a mile and a quarter for the first time but her rider, Ryan Moore, clearly didn't have any stamina concerns as she was sent into the lead over three furlongs out and kept on strongly to score by five and a half lengths from Serenity Prayer.

The only Musidora winners in the last decade who were rated higher after the race were So Mi Dar (122p) and Soul Sister (116p). The only three-year-old fillies in Britain or Ireland currently rated higher than Whirl are Desert Flower (118) and Lake Victoria (117), and that's based on the form they showed as juveniles. Whirl would have stronger claims on form in the Oaks than Ballydoyle stablemates Giselle (106p) and Minnie Hauk (100p), though the fact they are shorter in the betting reflects uncertainty about Whirl's participation given the Prix de Diane was mentioned as a possible target.

Inisherin impresses on reappearance at York

Also on the opening day of the meeting, Inisherin (123 from 120) posted a very smart performance to win the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes. He had disappointed in the July Cup and Sprint Cup after running out a dominant winner of the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last season, but he bounced right back to his best on his return at York. Last season's leading six-furlong sprinters in Britain and Ireland Mill Stream and Kind of Blue, winners of the July Cup and Champions Sprint respectively, were rated 122, so Inisherin is a leading contender for top honours in an open division. Flora of Bermuda (119 from 118), a close-up third in the Champions Sprint when last seen, also deserves plenty of credit for getting to within a neck of Inisherin and pulling three and three-quarter lengths clear of the third.

Flora of Bermuda's trainer Andrew Balding may have had to settle for second in the 1895 Duke of York Stakes, but he ed a Group 2 win the following day when See The Fire (120 from 115) slammed her rivals in the Middleton Stakes. See The Fire had shaped as if possibly in need of the run when fifth on her return in the Gordon Richards Stakes at Sandown last month, losing three places late on after looking a big threat a furlong out, and she duly built on that - and in some style.

See The Fire, who won the Strensall Stakes last season on her only previous visit to York, could be called the winner a long way out in the Middleton and she quickly dashed away from her rivals after being produced to lead two furlongs out. She continued to storm clear, eventually ing the post with a 12-length advantage, and earned a Timeform rating on a par with what Bluestocking achieved in the race last season. The last time a Middleton winner ed a higher Timeform rating was in 2011 when multiple top-level winner Midday took the honours.

See The Fire was narrowly denied in the Nassau Stakes by Opera Singer last season but her performance at York shows she's returned as an improved model this term and she's likely to be the one to beat at Goodwood. The last time a Nassau winner ed a Timeform performance rating higher than 120 was also in 2011 when Midday completed her hat-trick in the race.

There were also some notable handicap performances on Wednesday's card at York with progressive sprinter Merchant (100p from 94p) looked a three-year-old to keep on the right side when a dominant winner on his first attempt at a mile and a half. He had been a running-on third on his return over a mile and a quarter at Newmarket 11 days earlier and appreciated the step up in trip at York where he galloped on strongly to the line after leading a couple of furlongs out. Timeform's reporter has identified him as a leading player for the King George V Handicap at Royal Ascot.

The feature race on the final day of York's Dante Festival, the Yorkshire Cup, was run at a crawl and the field finished in something of a heap, with less than two lengths covering the quintet. Rebel's Romance (remains 125) was always well positioned and showed good tenacity to hold on by a head from Epic Poet (remains 115), without matching the pick of his previous efforts.

Progressive Kon Tiki keeps her unbeaten record

One of the most impressive performances on the final day of the meeting was posted by Kon Tiki (109p from 98p) who extended her unbeaten record with victory in the listed Sky Bet Fillies' Stakes.

Kon Tiki coped well with the rise in grade, completing her hat-trick with more in hand than the margin of half a length might suggest. As had been the case at Kempton on her previous outing, Kon Tiki impressed with how strongly she travelled and she readily put her stamp on the race, quickening up smartly inside the final couple of furlongs. She was closed down close home, but was in command throughout the final furlong and, in the opinion of Timeform's reporter, was value for more like a two-length victory. Kon Tiki isn't entered in the Coronation Stakes but would be well worth a crack at a Group 1 as she's rated similarly to the placed fillies from the 1000 Guineas.

There was a strong edition of the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday, though returning classic winners Rosallion and Notable Speech shaped as if in need of the run to some extent in third and fourth, and the finish was fought out between a couple who had contested the Sandown Mile.

Lead Artist (125 from 124) had failed to beat a rival home in the Sandown Mile won by Dancing Gemini, but he bounced right back to his best and showed a willing attitude to get the verdict. Dancing Gemini (124) went down by a neck but was two and a quarter lengths clear of Rosallion and proved he belongs in Group 1 company. There's only 2 lb between the first four home in the Lockinge based on the pick of their form, so the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot should be a fascinating contest.

One of the most improved efforts on Lockinge day came courtest of Symbol of Honour (115 from 105) in the listed Carnarvon Stakes. Symbol of Honour had disappointed when only sixth behind Cosmic Year in a seven-furlong listed race at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago, but he proved better than ever on his return to six furlongs. Symbol of Honour's victory took his record at six furlongs to four wins from five starts, with his one defeat coming when beaten a length in sixth in the Coventry Stakes last season. He would have been well worth his place in the Commonwealth Cup, though as a gelding isn't eligible. Stablemate Shadow of Light, who was last season's leading juvenile and third in the 2000 Guineas on his return, is top rated among the Commonwealth Cup entries with a figure of 120.

There were Commonwealth Cup clues at Naas on Sunday with Babouche (113 from 112) readily getting the better of Whistlejacket in the Group 3 Lacken Stakes. Babouche, winner of the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes last season, had finished only fourth in listed company on her return at Cork a couple of weeks ago but stepped up markedly on that effort to win the Lacken. There was a lot to like about how comfortably she travelled before quickly settling matters when asked and, with her sex allowance taken into , she figures prominently on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings for the Commonwealth Cup, behind only Shadow of Light and Camille Pissarro.

Two-year-old focus

It was a good day for Babouche's trainer Ger Lyons and jockey Colin Keane as they had teamed up to win the preceding race at Naas, the Group 3 Fillies' Sprint Stakes, with Lady Iman (remains 100p). Lady Iman went into the race as Timeform's highest-rated juvenile filly after stylish wins at Dundalk and the Curragh and she confirmed herself as one of the best in the division with a smooth three-quarter-length success, again impressing with how powerfully she moved through the race.

The best performance by a two-year-old colt so far this season was produced earlier on the card when Charles Darwin (109p from 97p) easily brushed aside his rivals in the opening five-furlong conditions race. Charles Darwin was sent off the 1/14 favourite after impressing on his previous outing at Navan, so was very much expected to win, but he clocked an excellent timefigure which suggests he took another big step forward. He is already rated high enough to win most editions of the Norfolk Stakes as Sioux Nation, in 2017, was the last winner of the race to a Timeform performance rating in excess of 109.

There was also a significant two-year-old performance at Newmarket on Sunday as Treanmor (95P) looked like a fine prospect when storming to a four-length success. Treanmor, a €2 million purchase as a yearling, travelled powerfully in touch before comfortably drawing clear, deserving credit for putting so much distance between himself and his rivals in a race run at a steady pace. He has the Timeform 'Large P' to show he remains open to significant improvement.