Simple and Spear second, but Great Pearl wins Gr. 3

Both Simple Verse and Lightning Spear made fantastic returns to the racecourse in their respective races on Friday and Saturday, while Great Pearl gave Qatar Racing it's first Graded race success in Japan.

Having finished second in the Jockey Club Stakes in 2016, Simple Verse was making her reappearance almost a month later this year in the Gr. 2 Betway Yorkshire Cup on Friday, and she ran right up to form as she was collared on the line by the favourite Dartmouth.

It briefly looked like Simple Verse was going to hang on after she hit the front entering the final furlong, but it was still a fantastic effort and will have put her spot on for her next target, the Gr. 1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, where we're very hopeful the increase in distance will suit her.

Another horse with Royal Ascot now firmly on his agenda is Lightning Spear, who was a very pleasing second to Ribchester in the Gr. 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge Stakes at Newbury on Saturday.

With it appearing hard to make up lots of ground at Newbury in recent days, Lightning Spear was ridden a bit closer than usual and there was a moment where it looked like it might pay off, briefly threatening to run down Ribchester around a furlong out.

We know Lightning Spear is very effective on faster ground, so hopefully we get those conditions in the Gr. 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, where he'll have another crack at Ribchester, with the possibility of Minding being added to the mix.

Qatar Racing/Pearl Bloodstock still celebrated a big winner on Saturday when Great Pearl won the Gr. 3 Heian Stakes over 1900m on dirt at Kyoto. The son of King Kamehameha won easily by four lengths from 15 rivals, completing a four-timer in the process, and our congratulations and thanks go to his trainer Mitsu Nakauchida.