One of Jim Bolger’s leading juveniles of 2014, Godolpin’s Lucida bids to
build on her latest second in the Moyglare Stud Stakes in Friday’s Group 2
Rockfel at Newmarket. Just a neck behind Cursory Glance in the Curragh’s feature
September 14, the bay had earlier filled the same spot when a half-length behind
Raydara in the Debutante over the same course and distance August 24.
“Lucida is very well and we are expecting her to perform accordingly,” her
trainer said.
Chris Humber’s New Providence may be best of the home-trained contingent
after her defeat of the impressive subsequent winner Marsh Hawk in Salisbury’s
Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes over six furlongs last time September 4, and trainer
Hugo Palmer is hopeful she can make her mark.
“You never want to be frightened of one horse and we’re not, you’ve got them
all to beat of course,” he explained. “I think my filly will stay seven
furlongs, she’s out of a Giant’s Causeway mare which would suggest she’ll stay
and she’s so tough and game and tries so hard, which is another tool in her
armory. She worked on Saturday morning and I was absolutely delighted with her
and hence we supplemented her.”
One of the unexposed types is Hubert John Strecker’s What Say You, and she
was impressive when winning over this seven-furlong trip on the July Course here
August 22.
Trainer Karl Burke said, “We’ve always thought a lot of her and she hasn’t
let us down yet. She’s obviously got to step up again on what she showed in her
maiden at Newmarket, but we believe she will. She’s an uncomplicated filly and
she stays well. We certainly hope she’ll progress and develop into a classic
filly. I think she will put up a bold show and what finishes in front of her
will have to be very useful.”
Having been tested in the top league, Godolpin’s Outstrip enjoys a slight
class drop Friday as he tackles the Group 2 Joel Stakes. Just under three
lengths fourth to Kingman in the Sussex at Glorious Goodwood when last seen July
30, last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf and Champagne winner had also been
third behind Juddmonte’s star miler in the June 17 St James’s Palace at Royal
Ascot.
“Outstrip is in great nick. We purposely gave him a break after the Sussex
Stakes and felt that this would be a nice race for him,” conditioner Charlie
Appleby commented. “He has underperformed on his two previous starts on the
Rowley Mile, but the ground was too soft (when third) in the Dewhurst Stakes and
he scoped badly after (finishing last in) the (Two Thousand) Guineas.
“I am hopeful of a decent performance, providing the ground is good, and it
looks like the right starting point for him going into the latter part of the
season.”
Arguably the most intriguing contender is Normandie Stud Ltd.’s rapidly
progressive Wannabe Yours, who was impressive when taking Goodwood’s
Thoroughbred Stakes over this mile trip at the start of August, while the
classic generation is also represented by the June 7 Epsom Derby fourth Arod.
Surprisingly, Peter Chapple-Hyam has decided to revert to a mile with Qatar
Racing’s bay, who was a latest fifth in the Juddmonte International at York
August 20.
Jockey Jamie Spencer told PA Sport, “He’s kind of on the comeback trail. The
pace was very stop-start in the Juddmonte. He’s a good horse, but he just needs
to get it right. He shows a lot of ability at home and hopefully we’ll see it.”
Of the older brigade, the Sovereign Stakes and Superior Mile winner Captain
Cat and the Desmond and Strensall scorer Custom Cut will prove tough nuts to
crack.
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