Pretty Picture

Now that the rain has arrived, Dermot Weld's long-term project Zhukova (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will be a tough opponent for all assembled in Sunday's G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Her latest six-length success in the GI Man o'War S. at Belmont on May 13 represented not only affirmation of her inherent class but also a measure of the race-plotting expertise of which Dermot Weld is renowned. How her rivals could have hoped to live with her there when giving her weight on her favoured yielding surface is a mystery, but the fact that she seized a golden opportunity with zeal suggests she was not just benefitting from favourable race conditions. She faces Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) again, having finished 15 lengths adrift of that John Gosden trainee after putting in a rare disappointing effort when seventh in the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. at Ascot in October. Journey was staging her return when fifth in the G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom on June 2 and that should have put her right for this test.

Sir Michael Stoute sends across Jessica Slack's multiple South African Group 1 winner Smart Call (SAf) (Ideal World), who was fourth in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot last time on June 21, while also from Britain is Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktum's Nezwaah (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}). She captured the Listed Rothesay S. over this trip at Ayr when last seen on May 24 and trainer Roger Varian reports her primed for this second attempt at this grade. “Nezwaah has blossomed over the last week or so,” he said. “She is a good-moving filly who is best suited by a sound surface, so I hope the ground continues to dry and I am looking forward to returning her to the highest level. I feel she will be very competitive in Group 1 company this year.”

Of the 3-year-olds, Intricately (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) is the only top-level scorer returning to the track at which she recorded a career-best when winning the G1 Moyglare Stud S. in September. Also sporting the silks of Zhukova's owner Chantal Regalado-Gonzalez, she was last seen finishing fourth in the G1 Irish 1000 Guineas here on May 28, while Aidan O'Brien's chief prospect appears to be the June 21 Listed Sandringham H. runner-up Rain Goddess (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).