Timeform: Neptune could’ve won Gold Cup

Timeform say Neptune Collonges’ John Smith’s Grand National win at Aintree last Saturday is the best they have ever rated.

Just a month after Sprinter Sacre established himself as the leading novice chaser in Timeform’s history, another long-standing ratings benchmark was surpassed.

The thoroughly likeable veteran, so often third fiddle down the years behind his outstanding stablemates Kauto Star and Denman, finally had his day in the limelight at and, in collaring Kim Muir winner Sunnyhillboy on the line, ran to a rating of 166, edging ahead of the likes of famous recent winners Don’t Push It (162) and Royal Athlete (161) in Timeform lists in the process.