Tough House Test For Marsha

Saturday's G3 Longholes Palace House S. at Newmarket looks to be one of the most competitive in its history, with the Elite Racing Club's returning G1 Prix de l'Abbaye heroine Marsha (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) placed in a baptism of fire with her seven-pound penalty. One of four fillies and mares in the list, the high-class homebred is eight pounds worse off with Ballydoyle's Washington DC (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) for a 3/4-of-a-length beating of that rival in the Chantilly sprint on Arc day and that rival comes here on the back of a win in the Listed Woodlands S. at Navan on Apr. 24. Jeff Smith's Lochsong (GB) (Song {GB}) captured this in 1994 and her fellow Stewards' Cup-winning relative Dancing Star (GB) (Aqlaam {GB}) bids to follow suit. Last seen finishing ninth in the G1 Haydock Sprint Cup over six furlongs on soft ground in September, she drops back in distance and trainer Andrew Balding admits that he is in the dark in that regard. “It's a little bit experimental, trip-wise,” he said. “All of her best form has been over six furlongs, but she has always shown plenty of speed and travelled well in her races. I have no doubt she'll come on for the run, because this time last year she was scrambling home in a handicap rated 75.”

Clive Cox won this last year with the subsequent G2 Temple S. and G1 King's Stand S. hero Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), and he is back in the Godolphin silks alongside the stable's impressive Listed Landown Fillies' S. scorer Priceless (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}). “Priceless was very impressive indeed at Bath in the Lanwades,” he commented. “With that run under her belt, I'd hope she'd go very well. She's group-placed at two and looks like having the fast ground she so enjoys. I'm delighted we've kept Profitable for another year under new ownership; it's wonderful to have him to go forwards with. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do again, he's strengthened up and I don't see why he shouldn't have another good season.”