Il Est Francais is back, Liberty Lane is all class and why you should give Ruling Court another chance - three things we learned this weekend

It was a busy weekend dominated by the action at Newmarket. Here's three key things we learned from the action on the Rowley Mile and from elsewhere . . .

Owen flying – and don't rule out Court

It might not have the Group 1 status of the Cheveley Park or Middle Park, but the Royal Lodge is always a useful pointer and Wimbledon Hawkeye was an impressive winner of the Group 2.

He travelled powerfully through the mile contest and was probably value for more than the winning margin, capping a brilliant run of form for trainer James Owen, who after racing on Saturday had enjoyed a superb 12 winners from 31 runners in the last fortnight.

The rapid rise of Newmarket-based Owen probably warrants greater acknowledgement, particularly as a genuine dual-purpose trainer, and in Wimbledon Hawkeye he potentially has a star in his hands.

You would not rule him out of developing into a genuine Group 1 contender, but his latest win also paid a handsome compliment to those who finished in and around him in the Acomb – notably Derby favourite The Lion In Winter and third Ruling Court.

The Lion In Winter is already high on people's lists of this season's juveniles, but perhaps Ruling Court needs a little more respect. The €2,300,000 breeze-up purchase had the burden of a hefty price tag and then added to already high expectations with an eyecatching debut win at Sandown, so it's understandable people went a little lukewarm on his prospects after he was turned over as evens favourite in the Acomb.

That said, the winner is extremely well regarded, Wimbledon Hawkeye is evidently a talent and the fourth, The Waco Kid, won a Group 3 at Newmarket on Thursday. It looks strong form, and the Charlie Appleby-trained Shadow Of Light showed how easy it is to bounce back from a defeat at York next time out.

Fab Francais is back

After one of the most stunning performances of the last jumps season in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase, it all went a little wrong in the spring for Il Est Francais.

Turned over at Auteuil at heavy odds-on in April, he never made his main target, the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, so it was a huge boost to see the exciting chaser return in style on Saturday.

Il Est Francais: looks bang on course for Kempton after winning returnCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

Trained by Noel George and Amanda Zetterholm, the six-year-old jumped slickly and made most of the running, winning as he liked under James Reveley in Grade 3 company back at Auteuil.

It tees him up nicely for a Grade 1 at the track in November, the Prix la Haye Jousselin, and then hopefully an exciting return trip to Kempton for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.

He is now no bigger than 9-2 for the Christmas highlight, having been as big as 8-1 before his successful comeback, and what a prospect it is for him to be taking on Fastorslow and co at a venue he has already flourished at.

Liberty can kick on

Karl Burke had a week to remember in big handicaps, with Liberty Lane landing the Cambridgeshire seven days on from the stable having the first three home in the Ayr Gold Cup.

It was a dominant performance off top weight and, although he may have been drawn on the right side, he has the profile of a horse who can now make the jump to Group company.

Liberty Lane might not go on to be the next Lord North, the 2019 Cambridgeshire winner who developed into a Dubai Turf hat-trick hero and was coincidentally retired last week, but given he was thought highly enough of as a three-year-old to run in the Dante, it could be that Burke can turn him into a Group-race performer after all.

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