Trainer quotes for Group 1 bet365 Fillies' Mile card at Newmarket

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Thu October 12, 2023 · 2y ago

We round up the views from connections ahead of the Group 1 bet365 Fillies' Mile card at Newmarket on Friday.

Racecard & free video form - Fillies' Mile Newmarket 4.10

Ollie Sangster will saddle his first Group One runner when stable star Shuwari attempts to get back to winning ways in the bet365 Fillies’ Mile.

The daughter of New Bay created a taking impression in her early outings and got the better of subsequent Moyglare Stud Stakes scorer Fallen Angel to claim Listed honours at Sandown on just her second start.

That piece of form was key to the youngster being sent off the 13/8 favourite for the Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket two weeks ago, when she lost her unbeaten record at the hands of Carla’s Way.

However, the manner in which she made smooth headway to try to chase down the winner from a position in rear offers plenty of encouragement ahead of this step up to a mile.

Sangster said: “She ran a very good race and we were very happy in the circumstances. She has come out of the race well and I’m looking forward to Friday.

“She’s a straightforward horse who relaxes and settles well and I can’t see the step up in trip being a problem.

“It’s nice to have a chance in a race like this and hopefully she will run well for us.”

A place behind Shuwari in third in the Rockfel was Aidan O’Brien’s Ylang Ylang, who was installed as the early ante-post favourite for next year’s 1000 Guineas after winning her first two contests but has had her momentum checked the last twice.

She will once again be partnered by Ryan Moore, who told Betfair: “She was taken off her feet a bit on quick ground over seven furlongs here last time, so the step up to a mile will suit and she has form on soft if we get a lot of rain.

“I’d like to think she is the filly to beat if returning to the form of her Leopardstown win. We have always thought of her as a Group One filly.”

Ylang Ylang wins at Leopardstown

Ylang Ylang is one of two in the race for the master of Ballydoyle alongside stablemate Brilliant, while the Irish challenge is bolstered by Noel Meade’s Caught U Looking, who enhanced her reputation with a half-length success in the Weld Park Stakes last month.

The improving youngster needed every yard of seven furlongs on that occasion and her handler is now keen to test her over further.

Meade said: “She won at Leopardstown very well and she carried on and won a Group Three. She just about won it and didn’t win by any long way, but she is by Harzand and I think the step up to a mile will be a help.

“Her sire was a good mile-and-a-half horse and you would imagine that is where she will be going (next year). She certainly stayed on well at the Curragh and went through the line well and was only getting going at the end of the seven furlongs. I would say seven is as short as you would like to go, so you would be hoping she will run a nice race.

“I’m a little bit concerned by very fast ground but hopefully we get a bit of rain that would help.”

Frankie Dettori has won this a record seven times and fresh from announcing the extension of his riding career, he will team up with Michael Bell’s Ambiente Amigo, who has caught the eye when winning minor races at Lingfield and now takes a vast step up in grade.

Meanwhile, Ralph Beckett appears to have a strong hand saddling both impressive Sandown scorer Classical Song and Ascot victor Seaward and Rossa Ryan is relishing the chance to partner the former for the first time.

He said: “I know the Beckett team like her and Ryan (Moore) liked her the last day and she looks a very good, honest, genuine sort. The signs look right to have a pop at it.”

The field is completed by Andrew Balding’s May Hill Stakes runner-up See The Fire.

The daughter of Sea The Stars is out of her owner Jeff Smith’s Juddmonte International Stakes winner Arabian Queen and is held in high regard by connections.

“We’re looking forward to running in the Fillies’ Mile and we were very pleased with her second in the May Hill,” said David Bowe, Smith’s racing manager.

“She still ran a bit green and has come on since then mentally.

“We’re hoping that she will do us proud and she is obviously a really smart filly and we’ll see how she fares.

“She has a really stout pedigree and she has the looks to go with it. She’s a beautifully proportioned filly and just neat and tidy for a two-year-old.

“We’re very pleased with her all round. We’re very lucky that both her and Ghostwriter seem to be in good shape for the obvious next year. We don’t want to tempt fate and get too excited, but it’s nice to have a couple of nice horses on the books and we’re in good shape.”

Racecard & free video form - Challenge Stakes Newmarket 3.00

Matilda Picotte bids to put the seal on an excellent campaign with victory in the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards Challenge Stakes at Newmarket.

Kieran Cotter’s stable star was a Listed winner at Headquarters at the end of her juvenile campaign and returned to the Rowley Mile to finish third in the 1000 Guineas in May.

She subsequently finished fourth in the Sandy Lane at Haydock and second in a Group Three at Tipperary before opening her account for the year in last month’s Sceptre Stakes at Doncaster.

Having resisted the temptation to have another shot at Group One glory in the either the Prix de la Foret or last weekend’s Sun Chariot, Cotter is hoping to strike Group Two gold in Friday’s feature.

“We’re very happy with her and her record on the track is second to none. This is obviously another step up in class, but she’s in great form and we think she’s up for it,” he said.

“We were tempted to supplement for the Group One last week (Sun Chariot), but we decided to wait for this as she showed in Doncaster she’s certainly a Group Two filly anyway.

“We’d like a bit of rain and it looks like there’s a small bit to come. She’s a good-actioned filly, so hopefully she should go on the ground.”

Richard Hannon has a strong hand, with Prix de la Foret third Shouldvebeenaring and the high-class Chindit both declared, while last year’s winner Pogo is back to defend his crown for Charlie Hills.

John and Thady Gosden’s Audience is the likely favourite after filling the runner-up spot in both the City of York Stakes and the Park Stakes. Joe Murphy’s outsider Lord Massusus is the other contender.

A bumper eight-race card gets underway with the Newmarket Academy Godolphin Beacon Project Cornwallis Stakes, in which trainer Kevin Philippart de Foy hopes to saddle Inquisitively.

The Ten Sovereigns colt was placed twice for Ollie Sangster before making a successful and impressive debut for his trainer in the Listed Roses Stakes at York in August.

Philippart de Foy said: “He’s in good shape and we’re hoping the ground stays as it is at the moment. The horse is in very good form, but he needs fast ground in order to show his turn of foot.

“He came out of the York race in very good form. We had to give Doncaster a miss because of the ground, so hopefully there will be minimal rain at Newmarket.

“This is highly likely to be his last run of the season.”

Donnacha O’Brien expects the demands of the race to bring out the best in Asean, who has her sights raised to Group Three level after winning a Cork handicap and a Listed prize at the Curragh.

“She’s in good form, she’s worked well and everything has gone well since her last run. Hopefully the rain stays away as she likes a bit of nice ground,” said the trainer.

“It’s a logical step and she’s got plenty of speed for the fast five furlongs in Newmarket, so hopefully she’ll run well.”

The Godolphin Lifetime Care Oh So Sharp Stakes also carries Group Three status and throws up an intriguing clash between Ralph Beckett’s recent Salisbury scorer Skellet and the Charlie Appleby-trained Dance Sequence, who won a July Course maiden three months ago but has not been seen since.

Skellet has been snapped up by Juddmonte since her last run and the leading owner-breeders’ racing manager, Barry Mahon, said: “We’re looking forward to seeing her out and we’ll find out a bit more about her.

“It looks a good race – Charlie Appleby’s filly looked very good the day she won. Ours is a big filly and it’s all about next year with her, but it will be good to give her a bit more experience.

“She has a beautiful pedigree – she’s a half-sister to Skitter Scatter (Group One winner) and it’s a Group One pedigree from top to bottom. The fact she’s by Kingman made her extra appealing.”

Chic Colombine, winner of her last four starts for George Boughey, adds further depth to the seven-furlong juvenile contest.

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