Betfair Exchange Hoppings Fillies' Stakes (Fillies' And Mares' Group 3)

Off time: 15:01 | Winning time: 2m 12.8s

(6)

Bubble And Squeak²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Jason Watson| T: S Kirk| OR: 91

14/1

Tough handicapper; has demonstrated that she handles a similar Tapeta surface (at sister track Wolverhampton); forced the pace until weakening into fifth place (150-1) in the Group 2 Dahlia Fillies' Stakes at Newmarket (1m2f, gd/fm) three weeks ago.

Form: 54512-5

(2)

Look Around¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: David Probert| T: A M Balding| OR: 103

5/1

Juvenile Listed winner (the 7f Star Stakes); made the frame (third to Lavender's Blue) in a Group 3 contest at Sandown (1m) last August, and could strip fitter for a recent comeback run; stamina reserves are the major concern over a stiff 1m2½f.

Form: 7/4923-6

(4)

Nkosikazi⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Tom Marquand| T: W J Haggas| OR: 94| D

9/4

So often the bridesmaid throughout the course of 2019, but that didn't stop her changing hands for 220,000gns (Dec 2019); was back with a bang in a Class 3 fillies' handicap at Redcar (1m2f, good) nine days ago; this represents a much sterner test.

Form: 24330-1

(1)

Sweet Promise²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: George Wood| T: J R Fanshawe| OR: 99| D

9/1

Progressed quickly during the early stages of her racing career, winning on Tapeta at Wolverhampton (1m1½f fillies' novice); well below her peak form since finishing a close third in the Listed Prix de Liancourt at Longchamp last September.

Form: 12138-6

(3)

Virgin Snow¹⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 8-7| J: B A Curtis| T: E A L Dunlop| OR: 92| D

5/4

Beautifully-bred Gleneagles filly (from the 2010 Oaks and Irish Oaks heroine Snow Fairy); strong at the finish when downing Godolphin's Beautiful Illusion in a Class 3 fillies' handicap at Haydock (1m2f, good) 18-days ago; firmly on the upgrade.

Form: 43-1

Non-Runners

(5)

Aloe Vera⁴⁰¹

Weight: 9-5| Age: 4

T: R M Beckett J: Harry Bentley

Forecasts

Virgin Snow (5/4), Aloe Vera (6/4), Nkosikazi (9/4), Look Around (5/1), Sweet Promise (9/1), Bubble And Squeak (14/1)

Ralph Beckett's Aloe Vera makes her much anticipated return to action, and time might ultimately dictate that she is a very smart operator indeed. However, in meeting sustained trouble when running out a most taking winner of the Listed Height Of Fashion Stakes at Goodwood (May 2019) it later transpired that she'd struck into herself, and she was forced to sit out the remainder of her three-year-old season. Therefore, if she has any vulnerabilities, she could be found out in concession of 12lb to the beautifully-bred VIRGIN SNOW. Ed Dunlop's Snow Fairy filly relished the step up in trip (to 1m2f) when taking a competitive Haydock handicap (Class 3) on her seasonal reappearance.