The Timeform rankings return to highlight the top-rated maiden/novice winners in Britain and Ireland from the last fortnight, with the team at Wathnan Racing sitting pretty following impressive victories for two of its expensive breeze-up purchases.5. SERGEI DIAGHILEV (IRE)Wootton Bassett (GB) – Embellish (Ire), by Galileo (Ire)Timeform performance rating: 90For the fourth consecutive year, the 6f maiden run at the Curragh on May 23 was won by Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore, with odds-on favourite Sergei Diaghilev producing a polished display to follow in the footsteps of the stable's three previous winners, Unquestionable (2023), Henri Matisse (2024) and Brussels (2025).Strong at the finish despite having taken a keen hold through the early stages, Sergei Diaghilev won by half a length in the style of one who will have no problem stepping up in trip. Certainly, that is in keeping with his pedigree given that he's a full-brother to this year's G3 Ballysax Stakes and G3 Derby Trial Stakes placegetter Endorsement, while their unraced dam is a full-sister to the G1 Criterium International winner and G1 Melbourne Cup runner-up Johannes Vermeer.Both Unquestionable and Henri Matisse went from this race to the G2 Railway Stakes over the same course and distance, so it will be no surprise if that proves the next port of call for Sergei Diaghilev. If he proves half as good as that pair – both of whom also won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf – then the team at Ballydoyle will surely have another smart two-year-old on its hands. The well-supported Sergei Diaghilev (Wootton Bassett) strikes on debut and this colt is likely a name to note for Ryan Moore and Aidan O'Brien @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/vCS1V0yYf8— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026 =3. DARK ISSUE (IRE)Dark Angel (Ire) – Long Ridge Road (Ire), by Ribchester (Ire)Timeform performance rating: 92Dark Issue was relatively unconsidered in the betting when making her debut at Goodwood on May 23, but she's unlikely to be underestimated whenever she next appears on a racecourse, such was the manner of her win in that 6f fillies' maiden. Settled in mid-division in the early stages, she made good progress two furlongs out and then showed a sparkling turn of foot to skip clear, ultimately winning by five and a half lengths in a decent time.Richard Hannon's last two winners of that maiden failed to win again but, in previous years, the yard had won it with Sky Lantern and seen Billesdon Brook finish second, both fillies who went on to win the following year's 1,000 Guineas. Clearly, it's a race that Hannon likes to target with an above-average prospect, a category into which Dark Issue must now fall.With bigger and better things on the horizon, Dark Issue must be considered a relative bargain at the 62,000gns it cost to secure her at Book 2 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale, like so many of her stable's leading lights from years gone by. She's clearly inherited plenty of her sire's speed, but the stamina possessed by her dam, who was third in the Listed Derby du Languedoc over 12f, suggests she's likely to stay 7f. Dark Issue (Dark Angel) bolts up on debut under Pat Dobbs for @rhannonracing @Goodwood_Races pic.twitter.com/HdHGTHHoLn— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 23, 2026 =3. RULER'S PRIDE (IRE)Mehmas (Ire) – Superiority (Ire), by Exceed And Excel (Aus)Timeform performance rating: 92Trained by Karl Burke, Ruler's Pride was the only one the market wanted to know in the 5f maiden run at Ayr on May 20. He duly got the job done with the minimum of fuss, kicking off his career in style as he produced a powerful front-running display to brush aside the two fillies in opposition by over three lengths.That form received a significant boost when the second, Crystal Queen (Cotai Glory), went one place better in the Hilary Needler Trophy EBF Fillies' Conditions Stakes at Beverley on May 30, a performance which saw her boost her Timeform master rating to 86p. She was clearly a different proposition there to what she had been at Ayr but, equally, Ruler's Pride is entitled to improve with that debut experience under his belt.A 550,000gns purchase at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze-up Sale, the speedily-bred Ruler's Pride is no doubt bound for the G2 Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot for the Wathnan Racing team that covets success at that meeting above all else. Notably, this colt is from a family which has already been among the winners at Ascot, with his dam being a half-sister to the G1 Commonwealth Cup and G2 Queen Mary Stakes heroine Campanelle (Kodiac). Successful debut 550,000gns purchase Ruler's Pride (Mehmas) makes a winning start for @karl_burke, Wathnan Racing and @CliffordleexLee @ayrracecourse pic.twitter.com/IovZp2LYVH— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 20, 2026 2. SUN GODDESS (IRE)Sioux Nation – Etoile Bleu (Ire), by Starspangledbanner (Aus)Timeform performance rating: 94Won last year by the subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf heroine Balantina, the 6f fillies' maiden run at the Curragh on May 24 looks to have produced another winner with top-level pretensions in Sun Goddess, who earned 'TDN Rising Star' status when opening her account at the second attempt.A big eye-catcher when beaten just a head on her debut at Naas on May 9, Ballydoyle's Sun Goddess confirmed the promise shown that day with a totally dominant performance at the Curragh, fully justifying odds of 4/11 as she proved herself in a different league to her eight rivals with a five-length verdict.The aforementioned Balantina went on to finish third in the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot, a Group 3 for which Sun Goddess now heads most ante-post betting lists having usurped stablemate Victorious (Wootton Bassett). Certainly, she looks capable of making her mark at a higher level, with the promise of more to come as she gains in experience.One of 11 two-year-old winners in Europe this year for the flying Sioux Nation, this filly was bought for £120,000 at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. She is out of an unraced half-sister to the G3 Phoenix Sprint Stakes heroine Scream Blue Murder (Oratorio), plus Gibraltar Blue (Rock Of Gibraltar), a multiple Group winner in South Africa. Sun Goddess (Sioux Nation) shines brightly A good start to the day for team @Ballydoyle Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore @curraghrace pic.twitter.com/Ui9MYvqQ4r— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 24, 2026 1. WILD BLOSSOM (IRE)Mehmas (Ire) – Duchess Rose (Ire), by Dream AheadTimeform performance rating: 96Top spot goes the way of another Craven breeze-up graduate by Mehmas and representing the Karl Burke/Wathnan Racing axis, namely Wild Blossom, who won a 5f fillies' novice at Carlisle on May 18 by the sort of margin that is rarely seen. Fully 10 lengths clear of her closest pursuer at the line, she looked potentially something out of the ordinary as she left her three rivals toiling in the latter stages, an explosive performance which, unsurprisingly, also saw her nominated as a 'TDN Rising Star'.For context, this was the standout debut effort produced by a two-year-old filly in Britain and Ireland so far this season, according to Timeform performance ratings, while her master rating of 96p leaves her behind only the aforementioned Victorious and Velozee (Sioux Nation) among her sex. Victorious is rated 100p following her win in the G3 Fillies Sprint Stakes at Naas, while the 98-rated Velozee was an underwhelming fourth in that contest and is better judged on the form of her previous success in the Listed First Flier Stakes at the Curragh.Burke won the same Carlisle novice in 2025 with Venetian Sun, who then followed up with an impressive win in the Albany. Wild Blossom, on the other hand, is reported to have the G2 Queen Mary Stakes as her preferred destination at Royal Ascot, with her connections understandably in no hurry to step her up in trip given the speed she showed on debut.A 300,000gns purchase at the Craven Breeze-up Sale, Wild Blossom has a pedigree which suggests that she should stay 6f when the situation demands it, though, with her dam being a half-sister to the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes hero and leading first-season sire Bayside Boy, as well as the dual G2 Huxley Stakes winner Forest Ranger (Lawman). CLASSY 300,000gns Breeze-Up buy Wild Blossom follows in the footsteps of stablemate Venetian Sun in winning at Carlisle en route to what is surely a crack at the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot.Not many 2yo's win by 10 LENGTHS on debut! @karl_burke pic.twitter.com/qsanqpU9DF— Racing TV (@RacingTV) May 18, 2026The post Timeform’s Top Juveniles: May 18-31 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.