Denied the coveted One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1)/Oaks (Eng-G1) double by
Qualify (Fastnet Rock) as her stamina ebbed in the final yards at Epsom last
time June 5, Michael Tabor’s Legatissimo (Danehill Dancer) drops back to what
looks an ideal trip of 10 furlongs on Sunday for the Curragh’s Pretty Polly S.
(Ire-G1).
Having come a long way in a short space of time at three, the bay — who
followed a win in the Victor McCalmont Memorial S. over an extended nine
furlongs at Gowran Park April 26 with a commanding score in the Newmarket mile
Classic a week later — was only beaten a short head in the Oaks and meets some
older rivals on highly favorable weight-for-age terms here.
“She seems well at home, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens,”
trainer David Wachman commented. “She’s won over seven furlongs and a mile and
was touched off in the Oaks over a mile and a half, so she’s obviously pretty
adaptable trip-wise. I don’t think the ground should be an issue. She’d go on
most ground and it should be goodish this weekend, which will be fine.”
Also among the sophomore challenge is Godolphin’s Pleascach (Teofilo), who
was re-routed from an Irish Derby (Ire-G1) tilt after her surprise defeat in
last Thursday’s Ribblesdale S. (Eng-G2) at Royal Ascot. Second to the upwardly
mobile Curvy (Galileo) in that 12-furlong contest, Jim Bolger’s homebred may be
better suited to this distance, having shown enough pace to win the Irish One
Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1) here May 24.
Of the older brigade, the Elite Racing Club’s Prix Jean Romanet (Fr-G1)
scorer Ribbons (Manduro) and Qatar Racing’s Secret Gesture (Galileo) offer a
high standard to aim at and they renew rivalry from York’s Middleton S. (Eng-G2)
May 14. Secret Gesture was on top on that occasion, with 1 3/4 lengths
separating them, but Ribbons has a three-pound pull here.
Khalid Abdullah’s unbeaten Brooch (Empire Maker) is another fascinating
contender tackling the classic generation after wins at listed, Group 3 and
Group 2 level. The latest came in the Lanwades Stud S. on good-to-yielding
ground over a mile here May 23 and this rise in trip looks set to help her
chances.
“She’s done very well and is a very consistent mare,” jockey Pat Smullen
said. “She’s come up steadily through the ranks. She’s only had four runs, which
is typical of the boss, taking her along nice and steadily. The step up to a
mile and a quarter will suit but she’d want a little ease in the ground. We
think a lot of her and she’s only filling her frame now.”
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