John Ingles provides an overview of the key things to note on Wednesday.
Quest For Stars can keep unbeaten record
Salisbury’s card features a couple of listed races and in the first of them, the Stonehenge Stakes (15:30) for two-year-olds over a mile, ‘Hot Trainer’ Charlie Appleby has a good record as he completed a hat-trick of wins between 2021 and 2023. His 2023 winner Arabian Crown made into a smart performer with wins in the Zetland Stakes and Sandown’s Classic Trial. While Appleby hasn’t been represented in the last two editions of the Stonehenge (both of which drew just three runners), Godolphin was successful again last year with the John & Thady Gosden-trained Morris Dancer.
There’s a healthier field of eight this time, with Appleby’s representative Quest For Stars one of two boasting an unbeaten record. He was plainly the stable’s second string when making his debut in a valuable novice at Doncaster, the Champagne Trial, but showed plenty of professionalism in making a winning start, soon in front and responding well to hold off the more experienced Amir Lehbab by a short head.
Quest For Stars followed up in another novice at Sandown later in July, conceding 7 lb all round, when he again impressed with a good attitude from the front to see off some promising newcomers, earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. In both starts, Quest For Stars has given the strong impression this step up to a mile will suit and his breeding suggests that too as he’s by Sea The Stars out of a mare who was herself a two-year-old winner at a mile in France.
Progressive Moonlit Sun to land listed race
Gowran have had to move their race times forward to avoid the partial solar eclipse which would have impacted the tail-end of their afternoon meeting. With celestial bodies in mind, Moonlit Sun would be apt winner of the card’s highlight, the Hurry Harriet Stakes (15:52), where ‘Hot Trainer’ Jessica Harrington’s filly has strong claims in what doesn’t look the strongest of fillies’ listed races.
Skydance sets the standard after her third in the Valiant Stakes at Ascot last time, but Moonlit Sun is only a couple of pounds behind her on Timeform weight-adjusted ratings and looks open to the more improvement, having progressed with each of her three runs. The form of her debut third at Naas worked out well, with winner Sparan Nua going on to finish third in the Irish Oaks, and Moonlit Sun returned to the same track to beat a big field of maiden fillies on her next start.
On her handicap debut at the Galway Festival last time, Moonlit Sun wasn’t seen to best effect, being forced to cover more ground than those who beat her. Even so, she kept on to be beaten less a length into fourth behind Minella Rockett, coming out best at the weights under 9-13 and earning the ‘Horse In Focus’ flag. From a good Moyglare Stud family, Moonlit Sun can improve again and win a third edition of this listed contest for her trainer and jockey Shane Foley.
Felicitas the one to beat down in grade
Salisbury’s other listed race is the Upavon Fillies’ Stakes (16:30) over a mile and a quarter. The stand-out among recent winners of this contest is Sir Mark Prescott’s Arc winner Alpinista who won it as a three-year-old in 2020. Prescott is represented in this year’s contest by the four-year-old Alla Stella, owned like Alpinista by Kirsten Rausing and hailing from the same family.
Older fillies or mares have won the last three editions of the Upavon but the three-year-olds look more likely to hold sway this time and the one who appeals most and heads the Timeform weight-adjusted ratings is Felicitas for ‘Hot Trainer’ Ed Walker. She made a fine start to her career, winning her first two starts including when putting up a useful effort to pull three lengths clear in a novice at Sandown on her reappearance in April. Felicitas then improved again when stepped up in grade for the Musidora Stakes at York where she gave her all in going down by three quarters of a length to the subsequent Oaks runner-up Legacy Link.
Rather than joining the winner at Epsom, Felicitas went to Chantilly instead for the Prix de Diane, but her progress stalled as she could only finish seventh behind Diamond Necklace. The going was firmer in France, but her trainer evidently isn’t worried about turning her out again under similar conditions and, freshened up by a two-month break and with her sights lowered, she has a good opportunity to resume earlier progress.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.
