Darkness Falls impressed at the Group 1 Dewhurst Stakes. Following his victory, Timeform called the colt a ‘perfectly viable Triple Crown contender’.
Aidan O’Brien trains the son of Camelot. Darkness Falls earned a rating of 119p after winning the seven-furlong race.
He narrowly beat Godolphin’s Desert Castle. Meanwhile, Desert Castle’s rating has risen to 118p.
Darkness Falls leads the two-year-old colts
The Dewhurst victory moved Darkness Falls to the top of this season’s two-year-old colt rankings. He sits just 1lb below his stablemate, Sun Goddess.
As a result, Darkness Falls now heads the ante-post betting for three major races. These include the 2000 Guineas, the Derby and the St Leger.
His victory also sparked discussion about a possible Triple Crown challenge. No horse has completed the feat since Nijinsky in 1970.
A Triple Crown victory would carry extra significance for Darkness Falls. His sire, Camelot, came close to completing the achievement in 2012.
However, Encke denied Camelot in the St Leger. Darkness Falls now has the chance to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Timeform highlights his potential for improvement
Darkness Falls could still improve further. Timeform signals that potential with a small ‘p’ beside his rating.
His 119p performance matches the rating earned by last year’s Dewhurst winner, Gewan. Sadly, Gewan later died.
However, Darkness Falls still trails the best recent Dewhurst winner. City Of Troy earned a rating of 127 after winning the race in 2023.
That mark puts Darkness Falls 8lb below City Of Troy. Even so, his latest performance strengthens his reputation as a leading prospect.
Timeform analyst backs a Triple Crown challenge
Timeform’s Lead Flat Analyst, David Johnson, discussed the colt’s chances. He recalled Camelot’s near-miss in 2012 and noted that other contenders had fallen short since.
Johnson believes Darkness Falls has a realistic chance of making history. The colt could become the first horse since Nijinsky to win the Guineas, Derby and St Leger in the same season.
Furthermore, Darkness Falls heads into the winter near the top of the betting market. Johnson also highlighted his position ahead of the 2000 Guineas and the Derby.
