Charlie Fellowes reports last year’s French 1000 Guineas runner-up Shes Perfect to be on course to make her return to the track in the Conqueror Stakes at Goodwood.
The mile Listed contest on May 3rd has been earmarked as the first port of call for the daughter of Sioux Nation who has not been sighted since finishing down the field in last year’s Prix de Diane at Chantilly.
That effort came following two fine runs at Longchamp which saw the Basher Watts Racing-owned filly finish second behind Zarigana in the Group Three Prix de la Grotte before reversing those placings in the Emirates Poule d’Essai des Pouliches.
However, those moments of joy in the mile French Classic soon turned to disappointment after Shes Perfect was demoted to second by the stewards at the Parisian track, with the position upheld following an appeal.
Fellowes said: “Shes Perfect is great and she has been back with me since mid-November. The aim for her is the Conqueror Stakes on the first weekend in May. There is also the Dahlia at Newmarket that weekend, but I don’t think nine furlongs on the Rowley Mile is what she wants.
“She has put on a huge amount of condition during her time off and we have not pushed her too hard yet. Kieran Shoemark had his first sit on her this year on Friday where she just did a gentle piece of work.
“There is still plenty of time before the Goodwood race and she will have a racecourse gallop between now and that race. It is all positive news.”
However, while Fellowes is looking forward to welcoming Shes Perfect back to the track the Newmarket handler will be without the services of Luther this season.
The Frankel gelding suffered the setback following his victory in the Grade Two National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes at Saratoga, which he finished second in but was placed first, back in August.
He added: "Unfortunately we wont see Luther for a while as he picked up a setback after his run in America. My best three horses last year all picked up injuries which meant they missed much of the second half of the season.
“He is still only young and he will be given plenty of time to recover.”
Although Royal Ascot might still be more than two months away Fellowes already has the early summer highlight on the agenda for Cosi Bello, who finished fourth in a mile handicap at the Berkshire track back in July on what was to be his final start of last season.
Fellowes added: “He finished the season rated ninety five, but he picked up an injury after finishing fourth at Ascot.
“I thought he ran a really good race at Ascot last time as the first three all came up the near side and he was marooned in the middle of the track. I’d like to hope there is more to come from him.
“I’d like to think we can work back from either a Buckingham Palace or a Royal Hunt Cup with him. He will have one or two runs before that, but we will keep his sights low before that.
"He is in great form and looks a picture.”
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