Racing Report Card: A horse on the up for Mark Johnston, an unlucky horse at Ascot for your tracker and the ride of the day at the Punchestown Festival

THE racing was of the top shelf quantity on Wednesday. Ascot and Punchestown were both superb.

We’ve picked out some moments you may have missed on a busy afternoon of racing.

A horse on the up

Dee Ex Bee – Ascot 3.25

Mark Johnston has trained some smart stayers in his time. Double Trigger and Royal Rebel both won the Ascot Gold Cup for the tartan spartan.

And he had a twinkle in his eye after his latest potential champion dotted up at Ascot in a competitive Sagaro Stakes.

Up in trip following his St Leger fourth and Derby, the further he goes, the better he’s seemingly going to get now a four-year-old.

Johnston signalled it’s all systems go for a crack at the Gold Cup and Stradavarius.

It doesn’t look like John Gosden and Stradavarius will have it all their own way in the staying division this summer.

Aidan O’Brien also looks like he’ll play a role in the division with Kew Gardens and Capri looking to take on the big guns over two miles and further.

One for your tracker

Robin Of Navan – Ascot 4.25

Oisin Murphy is as hard on himself as anyone on the circuit and he would have been livid with the ride he gave Harry Dunlop’s six-year-old at Ascot.

Travelling smoothly in behind the pace, Murphy was praying the gap came between Barney Roy and First Contact.

It didn’t. He quickly switched his mount to the stands side, but was then forced to swerve over the right. It was a nightmare in reality and while today may have been his big day, he should be marked up for this and could have a similar race in him in the near future.

Ride of the day

Minella Indo – Punchestown 5.30 (Rachael Blackmore)

There’s no stopping Rachael. She ensured the gutsy Minella Indo landed the Festival double with another win on the big stage.

The pair looked beat a long way from home as Ruby Walsh was cruising on Allaho and Patrick Mullins looking threatening on Carefully Selected.

But they plugged on and Blackmore kept him up to work and a with a big jump over the second last, they suddenly looked back in business.

Another good jump over the last put the race to bed and this horse looks a stayer destined for the top under Henry De Bromhead’s guidance.