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There's the old saying about "Never meet your heros (or heroines)" because
they are most likely to disappoint you. Achilles Of Trot (er, Troy) didn't
come up to the expectations in person that that the vibrant performance
he seemed to put up on debut at Newmarket. A useful lesson in being careful
with trying to judge physical types from TV pictures. Which brings us to
the Queen Mary and Starlit Sands, here is the Class Ladder for the race
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The overall impression is that it is notably better than last year's moderate
edition. Starlit Sands hasn't been seen by B2yoR on course but has put
up two strong front running performances and responded to very challenge.
On debut she pace that broke the runners int he race with previous runs
and then she responded to two late challenges from closing fillies who
have run in Listed races since (although without placing it should be noted).
She then ran in a Novice event rather than the Listed Hilary Needler Stakes
and saw of Littlmisssunshine comforatbly showing both good pace and keeping
on well at the finish. She moves to a stiffer track on possibly easier
going but hasn't been stopping in either previous race. She has the profile
to improve further and set a good standard for the race.
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Her trainer's record is a positive overall and he doesn't tend to run his
better types in Group races unless they are up to it and he does
know how good his horses are right down to a few rating points. That shows
up with those string of handicap wins with older horses as well. In the
last three years he has run 4 juveniles in Group races with two
winning (Violette & Cupid's Glory), Confidential Lady finishing 3rd
(and a Group 1 victress at 3yo) and Red Peony 3rd in one her two attempts.
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Regal Step has apparently been working with 90+ rated older sprinters at
trainer Rober Cowell's and beating them (at what weights isnt known). She
was 25/1 on debut but pulled away from the field with a frontrunning performance.
She has since been sold to run for the Highclere syndicate but stays with
Mr Cowell. The field she beat at Nottingham probably wasn't that strong
and the better types on profile failed to come up to expectations The fourth
and sixth have been beaten since. The disappointments included the expensive
Francesca D'Gorgio who looked like she hadn't galloped before (perhaps
she hadn't on turf) and finished well beaten. Her trainer has since said
she should have done better and runs here as well. The trainer has had
three debut wins this season with Ascot types which makes her performance
a little less excusable. Anyway, Regal Step has a good profile to place
here and it would be a surprise if Francesca G. figured.
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Bastakiya drops back to 5f after two 6f runs and was second to one of those
Noseda 'specials' on polytrack FTO. She lead inside the final furlong before
Baffled was hard pressed to get by her. She then went to Southwell's sand
and cruised around the bend behind the leader and then pulled clear unpressed
for the longest winning distance of the 2yo season so far. The rest of
the field were poor but she was still very impressive in demonstrating
it. Her trainer, like Mr Prescott, mostly runs 2yos in Group races because
they are up to competing for the win. He occasionally runs an owner bred
in a weak version to try to 'nick a place' but Bastakiya isn't in that
category. The trainer has 1 wins and three places from 7 runners at Royal
Ascot in the period 2002-6. Along with her size and likely strong finish
she appeals as the best alternative to Starlit Sands (and the free running
fillies) if the pace softens them up.
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Sweepstake hasn't been pressed in two clear wins and her full ability isn't
clear. She is difficult to place but the overall profile suggests there
will be slightly better fillies in the group. Barry Hills has had three
5f debut wins with fillies for Hamdan Al Maktoum this year with Mookhlesa,
Janina and Monazaalah. The first looked a real 5f type but lacking some
quality. The second has looked hihger class with a later Listed win and
seems likely to run in the 6f Albany Stakes on Friday. Which presumably
means that they believe she is up to competing here. Janina would be close
to the top of this Class Ladder but Monazaalah looks a little below that
level.
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