Minding completed a fourth group one success of an already incredible season, winning the Nassau Stakes under Ryan Moore on the fifth and final day of Glorious Goodwood, and now looks set to take on the boys in the second half of the campaign. Trainer Aidan O’Brien hinted that there is little else to prove amongst the fairer sex and she could be set for a trip to either Leopardstown for the Irish Champion Stakes or Chantilly for the Arc and BetVictor make her a 5/1 and 6/1 chance for both Gp 1 contests in the autumn.
The daughter of Galileo’s first trip to the breeding shed looks set to be Coolmore’s North American flag-bearer War Front, who sires Sparring Queen (2.00) in this afternoon’s opening mile handicap and fancied to go close for the in-form pair of Ralph Beckett and Oisin Murphy. The well-bred filly has finished second on both starts in handicap company but remains open to further improvement in first-time head-gear.
Becket and Murphy can double up with their Compton Place filly Poyle Emily (3.30) in the 7f Maiden after an excellent debut last time out at Windsor. She travelled well before tiring last month over a mile at Windsor and remains open to further progression dropping back down in trip.
Happy Queen (3.00) is another well-bred filly on the comeback trail after disappointing when well backed on last month’s debut at Yarmouth. Trainer George Margarson had previously been glowing about the filly’s work on the gallops and can reward each-way support under Tom Queally.
There has been something of a revival at the David Lanigan yard with the likes of Gershwin and Almodovar looking group class in their exploits in the first half of the campaign and Anzhelika (4.00) potentially likewise after her impressive maiden success last term at Salisbury.
The daughter of Galileo is bred to appreciate this afternoon’s step up in trip and, providing she’s fully tuned-up on her first start in almost 11 months, is a confident selection to maintain her unbeaten record in today’s feature handicap. An opening mark of 77 looks very generous and should the market speak in her favour is a confident selection to score under George Baker.
It was another excellent weekend for the William Haggas yard, completing a double with Lockheed at Glorious Goodwood on Saturday, and he should enjoy yet further success with Her Terms (2.15) bidding to shed the maiden tag at the fourth time of asking at Ripon. The daughter of Pivotal was an unlucky loser last time out at Sandown, finishing second behind Andrew Balding‘s Night Law, and should be able to make swift amends under Silvestre De Sousa ten days later.
The Champion Jockey can double-up aboard Eccleston (3.45) in the feature 6f Handicap. David O’Meara’s 5-y-o has improved on all three starts this term, and finished an eye-catching third last time out at Doncaster on ground softer than ideal under Sam James. The handicapper has dropped him 3lb for those efforts, returning him to his last winning mark, and he must go close under the excellent SDS.
Evening action comes from Windsor where September Stars (7.00) can hopefully complete a terrific day for the Ralph Beckett stable in the Mile Handicap under Jim Crowley. The daughter of Sea the Stars made it fifth time lucky last time out over course and distance, staying on strongly in the closing stages, before running away to score impressively by four lengths. She should be very hard to beat under a penalty and is a confident selection to make it 2/2 at the track.
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