Giant Strides

When it comes to size, Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire}) has plenty in hand on her peers and Ballymacoll's homebred bids to put that physical advantage to full effect in Saturday's G2 bet365 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock. Over-achieving for her stature at three, the homebred captured the Listed Lord Weinstock Memorial S. over 10 furlongs at Newbury in June and Listed Galtres S. at this trip at York in August but it was her comeback effort that confirmed her as potential top-drawer material. Successful by 10 lengths in the Listed Pontefract Castle Fillies' S. June 25, she has every chance at this stage of becoming the next big thing for her famed breeders and the stud's manager Peter Reynolds said, “She was impressive at Pontefract, but I'm not sure about what she beat. Ryan [Moore] said she was more ready than he expected that day, but you'd be hoping she'd improve from her first run to her second run. It was quick ground at Pontefract and her wins last year were on good-to-firm. I think she just wants genuine good ground. She won so easily the other day. It will be interesting to see how she goes on Saturday.”

John Gosden has won this six times and looks to equal the late Sir Henry Cecil's record of seven with The Black Princess (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}) and Hertford Dancer (GB) (Foxwedge {Aus}). The former beat the subsequent G1 Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud third Armande (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) in Chantilly's G3 Prix Allez France over 10 furlongs Apr. 30 before finishing second in the G2 Middleton S. at York May 18, while her stablemate collected the May 13 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial prior to filling third spot in the G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot 16 days ago. Harry Herbert, racing manager for Hertford Dancer's owners, the Hertford Street Racing Club, commented, “She's in great form following Ascot. She's a remarkable individual. She's gone from a rating of 72 before she won the Lingfield Oaks Trial up to over 100 now and hopefully she's still heading north. Sir Michael's filly [Abingdon] will be a tough nut to crack, but Hertford Dancer is in good form and if she keeps on improving at the rate she has been then she'd have a chance of giving her hugely enthusiastic owners another big shout.”

Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) took the May 6 Listed Daisy Warwick S. at Goodwood before running third on testing ground in the G3 Pinnacle S. over this course and distance last time June 10. “Ajman Princess found the ground too soft on that occasion and these underfoot conditions will suit her much better,” trainer Roger Varian said. “She's in fine form and this has always been the target.”