Having won the last three runnings of the Fillies’ Mile with White Moonstone,
Lyric of Light, and Certify, Godolphin will be bidding for a record fourth
victory in Friday’s contest on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile, the first Group 1
two-year-old race of the British season.
Never before has Godolphin won a Group 1 race anywhere in the world four
times in a row and they have two chances to reach that milestone. Ihtimal has
been declared for Saeed bin Suroor and Sound Reflection was supplemented at a
cost of £15,000 for Charlie Appleby on Saturday.
Ihtimal has been impressive in her last two starts, winning the Sweet Solera
Stakes on Newmarket’s July Course in August and then the May Hill Stakes at
Doncaster earlier this month. Both White Moonstone and Certify won those same
two races en route to their Fillies’ Mile victories, while Lyric of Light also
won the May Hill.
“She is a Group 2 winner last time and this Group 1 is a step up but we think
she is up to it,” bin Suroor said. “She is sound and healthy after her win at
Doncaster and we’re expecting a good run from her.”
Sound Reflection is unbeaten in two starts — a July Course maiden and a
Kempton conditions race — and is deemed ready for the sharp step up in class.
“Sound Reflection has always been in high regard,” Appleby said. “We were
impressed with her at Newmarket and she backed up well in a small contest at
Kempton, which she won nicely. “We’ve supplemented her because she has shown us
enough progression to justify her running in the race.
“We believe she is a filly for next year over 10 furlongs plus. We’re not
sure she is precocious enough to win a Group 1 race at two years but she has
done well physically since Kempton and we think she deserves the opportunity.”
Also among the eight declarations is the top-class Rizeena, trained by Clive
Brittain. She has already tasted Group 1 glory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes over
seven furlongs at the Curragh at the start of the month.
Three fillies will make the journey from Ireland — Wonderfully, trained by
Aidan O’Brien, Ballybacka Queen, under the care of Pat Fahy, and the Paul Deegan-trained
Avenue Gabriel.
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com