Alpha Female

No race at Royal Ascot is a given, but there is always a weight of expectation when you bring an unbeaten record after clear-cut wins to the hallowed Berkshire fixture and Friday's G3 Albany S. looks set up for 'TDN Rising Star' Alpha Centauri (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}). Having slammed Ballydoyle's Actress (Ire) (Declaration of War) by 2 1/2 lengths on debut over this trip at Naas on May 1, the Niarchos Family's homebred made the margin five lengths over the same rival in the Listed Coolmore Stud Irish EBF Fillies' Sprint S. over that course and distance 20 days later. Jockey Colm O'Donoghue commented, “She's been pretty good and stepped forward from her maiden win in good style. Jessie [Harrington] was very happy leading up to her in the listed race, she's a big, scopey filly and very powerful, I was trying to keep a lid on her as long as I could. I think she'll stay further, she settled and travels nicely. She's very laid-back and I don't think the occasion will bother her, but we wouldn't want it too firm as she's a big filly.”

As is now the custom, Wesley Ward is represented by Susan Magnier's Fairyland (Scat Daddy) who performed with the usual ballistics of one of the stable's Ascot-bound juvenile over 4 1/2 furlongs on the dirt at Keeneland on Apr. 7. “I think she's got a really big chance,” Ward said. “She's a big filly with a long stride, as opposed to Happy Like a Fool. When you look at them you can tell Fairyland will go further.” She is joined by the May 25 Belmont scorer Princess Peggy (Scat Daddy), who is fit to run despite being involved in a bizarre incident on Wednesday when hit by a cyclist and suffering superficial abrasions as she was led across the street outside the track back to the stable yard. “This is a filly that just keeps improving,” her trainer said. “Early on I didn't think she was one for Ascot, but she ran and won and from the race she's really improved. Ryan [Moore] rode her in work and I asked him if he felt she was worthy to run in the Albany and when he got off he said 'absolutely'. Fast ground and six furlongs will suit her.”

Aidan O'Brien saddles the full-sister to Churchill (Ire), Clemmie (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who like her full-sibling was a highly encouraging third on debut over this trip at The Curragh on May 27, where stablemate Snowflakes (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full-sister to Winter (Ire), was 13th of 15. Qatar Racing's Natural (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) could be the chief British hope after her debut win at Doncaster on June 3 and trainer Richard Hannon said, “She was very professional at Doncaster on her first start. She is very talented and is there to run a big race. She has improved from her first run and I would be very surprised if she wasn't right there at the end. We have always really liked her.” Similarly, Roger Varian holds Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's May 27 Goodwood scorer Madeline (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in high regard and he commented, “Madeline pulled clear with a filly who had previously shown useful form on her second start at Goodwood and she ran well here on debut,” her trainer said. “She wants quick ground, she seems to be drawn the right side and she continues to improve–she lines up with a live chance.”