12 Jun 2019
The Dubai Future Champions Festival invariably lives up to its billing. The two-day Newmarket meeting provides some top-quality racing on the Rowley Mile and on Friday there is another strong renewal of the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile (3.35pm).
Run over 1m for two-year-olds, it has been won in the past by future Classic winners such as Minding (2016), one of Aidan O’Brien’s five winners of this race. This year he is double-handed as he bids for a joint-record sixth success. The late Sir Henry Cecil currently holds the record, with Oh So Sharp (1984), Bosra Sham (1995) and Reams Of Verse (1996) among his sextet of winners.
Laurens gained her third win from four starts in this race last season and has gone on to win a further four Group 1 contests this season for trainer Karl Burke.
We take a look at each of the eight runners:
ANOTONIA DE VEGA (Ralph Beckett)
Antonia De Vega comes into this race unbeaten in two starts. She saw off Zagitova on her racecourse debut on Newmarket’s July Course before landing the Group 3 Prestige Stakes at Goodwood, a race won last year by subsequent 1,000 Guineas winner Billesdon Brook. She took her time to get going at Goodwood, but this extra furlong should suit her and she should find more improvement for the experience. GebtingBet odds: 3/1
BEYOND REASON (Charlie Appleby)
Charlie Appleby grabbed a tenth Group 1 winner of the season when Wild Illusion won in France on Sunday and Beyond Reason looked like she would go to the very top when she pulled three lengths clear in the Group 2 Prix du Calvados at Deauville in August. However, she failed to follow up in Group 1 company when finishing sixth behind Skitter Scatter in the Moyglare Stud Stakes over 7f at the Curragh four weeks ago. The step up to a mile and faster ground will likely suit and she is a big price for a dual Group-winning filly. Genting Casino odds: 12/1
HERMOSA (Aidan O’Brien)
One of two runners from the Ballydoyle stable, Hermosa was in front of Beyond Reason when third in the Moyglare, and she subsequently franked that form by scoring in a Group 3 at Naas. She stayed on well in the Moyglare from a long way off the pace, suggesting she could become a nice middle-distance filly next season. Hermosa appears to have been crying out for further and should benefit from the extra furlong on the Rowley Mile. Genting Casino odds: 7/2
IRIDESSA (Joseph O’Brien)
Iridessa is thought of quite highly by her young trainer. She won over 1m on her Killarney debut and was straight into Group 2 company for her second start, when beaten just over five lengths by subsequent Group 1 winner Skitter Scatter at the Curragh. She did not have a great draw last time in a Listed 7f race at Leopardstown, but finished off her race well and she deserves her chance in this. The extra distance should help. Genting Casino odds: 25/1
LAYALEENA (Sir Michael Stoute)
The daughter of Sea The Stars created a favourable impression when giving her trainer a rare debut-winning 2yo on the July Course, and she did it with some aplomb, despite gaining a head verdict from maiden Ice Gala. That form was franked, with three subsequent winners behind her, but she sadly ran no sort of race on the AW at Lingfield on her second start, so has a few questions to answer now. Genting Casino odds: 14/1
PRETTY POLLYANA (Michael Bell)
The daughter of Oasis Dream is on something of a recovery mission herself. The daughter of Oasis Dream was the ante-post QIPCO 1,000 Guineas favourite after following up a superb win in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes with victory in the Prix Morny. However, her trainer looked visibly shocked in the unsaddling enclosure when she could finish only fourth as hot favourite for the Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes here less than a fortnight ago. Danny Tudhope replaces Silvestre de Sousa in the saddle this time. Bell was reluctant to blame De Sousa for the defeat, but he was a little concerned that she had been taken back a little during the race and it did not help her cause. The extra 2f is an unknown, because she has raced exclusively over 6f. Genting Casino odds: 4/1
SHAMBOLIC (John Gosden)
This daughter of Shamardal represents Arc-winning trainer-jockey combination of John Gosden and Frankie Dettori. She arrives unbeaten on the back of victories at Newmarket’s July Course and at Ascot. She had the run of the race out in front at Ascot, which was run at a steady pace, but she had enough to see off the 93-rated favourite Model Guest in the dash to the line. She is going the right way but whether she has the class to win this is open to question. Genting Casino odds: 7/1
ZAGITOVA (Aidan O’Brien)
Fourth in the Moyglare, this Galileo filly already has winning form over a mile, having scored in a Curragh maiden on her second of four starts. She would not have to improve much to win this and the step back up to 1m, in addition to the better ground than she encountered at the Curragh in the Moyglare, should see improvement forthcoming. Genting Casino odds: 7/2
TRENDS TO NOTE
Six of the last 12 winners were either favourite or joint-favourite
Eight of the last 12 winners had won on their previous outing
Five of the last 12 winners had at least one previous run at Newmarket
Nine of the last 12 winners had at least one run over 1m
11 of the last 12 winners had at least three previous runs
Eight of the last 12 winners had at least one previous Group-race victory
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