15:50 Salisbury

Wednesday 16 August 2017

All13:5014:2014:5015:2015:5016:2016:50

British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies' Stakes (Listed)

Off time: 15:50 | Winning time: 2m 5.8s

(1)

High Hopes²⁵

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: Jim Crowley| T: D M Simcock| OR: 94| BF| D

6/1

Off the mark on her fourth attempt last year in easy fashion when long odds-on but used that as a springboard for further success in 1m2f handicaps all with cut in the ground so any rain will be to her advantage. Didn't appear to stay (1m4f) rather than out of her depth in similar Listed company at Newmarket latest.

Form: 311-217

(7)

Playful Sound¹⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: R L Moore| T: Sir Michael Stoute| OR: 100| BF| CD

5/2

A four time winner in seven starts (1m1f to 1m2½f) but has appeared to find Listed level just beyond her comfort zone so far. That said, she ran her best race in this grade when 2½L third to Entsar in the Lyric Fillies Stakes at York last month, and on that showing, some ease in the ground would be fine.

Form: 118-173

(9)

Rosental¹⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: J P Spencer| T: L M Cumani| OR: 100| D

8/1

Won a Listed race in France last year (1m2f, good) and also made the frame in a Group 3 across the channel (1m2½f, heavy). Her best effort in this grade in England came at Newcastle in June 2016 when fourth to Nezwaah in the Hoppings Stakes, but she needs to do more and has a bit to find with Playful Sound on York form.

Form: 7213-45

(10)

Skiffle^p¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 100| D

6/1

2016 Height Of Fashion Stakes winner at Goodwood (1m2f good; Listed) who went onto finish fifth to Minding on her next start in the 2016 Epsom Oaks. She hasn't proved all that easy to handle since and has broadly disappointed this year (largely with cut). Has she trained on?

Form: 153-765

(8)

Uele River³²

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Dane O'Neill| T: H Candy| OR: 88| D

25/1

Firm ground winner of a 1m2f Windsor maiden back in 2015 but not seen in 2016. Shaped with some promise in a C&D handicap on just her second start back last month (3L fourth to Standing Rock), but this is a much, much deeper contest.

Form: 6128/94

(2)

Billesdon Bess¹⁴

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: Hollie Doyle| T: R Hannon| OR: 91| CD

6/1

Salisbury regular who enjoys racing to the fore with a career record at this track which reads; 1,5,2,1,2. In the form of her life lately and took a valuable Glorious Goodwood fillies handicap (soft) by 1L from Titi Makfi latest and has more than earned her 'big day' in this company at a track she quite clearly adores.

Form: 7-52121

(3)

Coconut Creme⁵⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: P Cosgrave| T: W J Haggas| OR: 97| D

9/2

Progressed at a rate of knots since winning a Beverley maiden in early May, finishing 1¾L second to Mori in the 2017 renewal of the Listed Height of Fashion Stakes (Goodwood). She seemingly ran to an even stronger level when seventh in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June (Mori runner up) and returns to action down in trip and grade with every chance.

Form: 5-127

(4)

Indian Blessing³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: L P Keniry| T: E Walker| OR: 96

12/1

Won a moderate Newcastle maiden in November 2016, but has broadly held her own in Listed company this year. Just a fraction to find with Coconut Creme on their Goodwood clash in May (where a neck separated the pair), but the other filly appears to have progressed more steadily since.

Form: 21-3344

(6)

Serenada²⁵

Age: 3| Weight: 8-9| J: S De Sousa| T: R Varian| OR: 98| D

8/1

Holds a Champions Day Group 1 entry (Fillies and Mares Stakes), but that looks to be flying too high for a filly whose only career success to date came in a Sandown maiden in late April. She finished third to Shutter Speed in the Musidora at York in May and just a couple of places behind Coconut Creme in the Ribblesdale (ninth) at Ascot in June, but bombed out badly latest and needs to bounce back. Drops in trip.

Form: 3-1390

Non-Runners

(5)

Somethingthrilling²⁰⁰

Weight: 9-2| Age: 5

T: D R C Elsworth J: S W Kelly

Forecasts

Playful Sound (5/2), Coconut Creme (9/2), Billesdon Bess (6/1), High Hopes (6/1), Skiffle (6/1), Rosental (8/1), Serenada (8/1), Indian Blessing (12/1), Somethingthrilling (16/1), Uele River (25/1)

A valuable Listed contest which has been won by a Henry Candy trained representative in two of the past three years, but the long time absent (until recently) Uele River will have her work cut out to continue that trend today. William Haggas trained the winner of this race in 2002 with Chorist, and his contender COCONUT CREME has progressed rapidly since winning a Beverley maiden in early May and has the strongest form on offer. That said; she will need to be fully on her mettle with the likes of Indian Blessing and Serenada with not all that much to find with her on previous clashes and with Playful Sound seemingly much stronger in this grade at York on her most recent start. An exciting renewal should await the many Salisbury regulars, who will surely be rooting on one of their own in the shape of Billesdon Bess who truly adores this track.