Whatever the true merit of her performance in the Falmouth Stakes, Sky
Lantern has a new agenda Saturday as she steps up to 10 furlongs for Goodwood’s
Group 1 Nassau Stakes What is clear from that July 12 Newmarket contest is that
the filly that finished ahead of her, Elusive Kate, is out of the top drawer, as
she has subsequently proved when romping to success in the Prix Rothschild.
Sky Lantern appears clearly the best of the three-year-old fillies at
present, having hammered home that fact in Royal Ascot’s Coronation Stakes to
silence any doubts that arose immediately after the One Thousand Guineas at
Newmarket.
“The Falmouth is now history, but Elusive Kate gave the form a boost when
subsequently winning the Prix Rothschild in France and, provided the rain stays
away, we will be going there very hopeful,” trainer Richard Hannon said.
“Obviously, Sky Lantern is stepping into the unknown, but (jockey Richard
Hughes) has been itching to try her at a mile and a quarter since she won the
One Thousand Guineas, and this looks the right place to start. The ground is the
key — she loves it rattling fast, so I just hope that Goodwood miss the heavy
showers.
“They went helter-skelter pace in the Coronation at Royal Ascot, and Hughesie
sat off them from his outside draw, and from stall 13 he will again have to be
patient and just hope that he gets the breaks up the straight. With a full field
there should be plenty of pace on up front and that will suit us.”
“She’s going to need luck, as there are a lot of runners,” Richard Hannon Jr.
said. “We think she’ll get the trip and (has) plenty of ability, but the traffic
and number of runners is what worries me. Tomorrow’s not her Derby or the
Breeders’ Cup.”
Sky Lantern was beaten convincingly by Hot Snap in the Nell Gwyn Stakes over
seven furlongs at Newmarket April 17, and that Juddmonte representative
re-opposes off a break having flopped in the Guineas.
Qatar Racing’s Just the Judge, who was second and third behind Sky Lantern in
the Guineas and Coronation, respectively, did win the Irish One Thousand Guineas
on fast ground at The Curragh in the interim, but connections are hoping the
ground eases.
“We’ll have a good look at the ground,” trainer Charlie Hills commented.
“There are showers forecast, but after having three runs on quick ground in
quick succession, I wouldn’t be keen to ask her to run on it again. She’s got a
Group 2 option at Deauville (the Prix de la Nonette), but if there’s a shower or
two she’ll take her chance. Her breeding suggests she should be better over
further.”
Also representing Qatar Racing is the Epsom Oaks runner-up Secret Gesture,
who will miss the race and head to Sunday’s Preis der Diana (German Oaks) if
Just the Judge is given the green light. Racing Manager David Redvers told PA
Sport, “She doesn’t appear as ground-dependent as the other filly. (Trainer)
Ralph (Beckett) is pretty confident she’d gallop on the road if we asked her to.
Ground conditions in Germany are also quite quick. The plan is to run her on
Saturday if Just the Judge doesn’t run, but if Just the Judge does run at
Goodwood, Secret Gesture will probably go to Germany.”
In a red-hot renewal, unexposed and unbeaten Sandown Distaff winner Integral
adds spice along with Godolphin’s star of the Dubai World Cup Carnival, Sajjhaa
(GB) (King’s Best). Successful in two Group 2s and two Group 1s there, including
the Dubai Duty Free, the six-year-old was fourth when last seen in the Queen
Elizabeth II Cup over 1 1/4 miles at Sha Tin April 28.
“She raced in a hood in Dubai and I think that has turned her around,”
Godolphin’s Racing Manager Simon Crisford commented. “She is now very effective
in her races. A mile and a quarter is stretching her, as her best trip is at a
mile or nine furlongs. Sajjhaa was running against a small pool of horses in
Dubai and, now she is back in Europe, there is a much bigger tank of fish to be
running against. But she is quality and she is peaking at the right moment.”
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