Winter's Grip

At the close of play on Saturday, it could be that the most-discussed topic is what Winter (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) would have done in Leopardstown's feature race if she had been allowed to take her chance there instead of the G1 Coolmore Fastnet Rock Matron S. Winning the G1 English and Irish 1000 Guineas and G1 Coronation S. with ease, Susan Magnier's dynamic grey had to overcome adverse ground conditions when stepping up to a mile and a quarter in the G1 Nassau S. at Glorious Goodwood last time on Aug. 3 and managed that with the same professionalism. “She's brilliant over a mile and she got a mile and a quarter the last day. She might even get further, but she's a great filly and she's progressed with every run,” O'Brien said. “The sky is the limit with her. We really don't know where she'll end up and when she will stop improving. She's changing physically every week so she's amazing, really. She'll come on for the run, with the idea she can have a strong autumn campaign.”

At the time, Winter's two-length defeat of last year's G1 Fillies' Mile-winning stablemate Rhododendron (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the May 7 Newmarket Classic looked a shade fortunate, but few would argue now that she is not the superior of the two, while 'TDN Rising Star' and subsequent G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Prix Rothschild winner Roly Poly (War Front) was well adrift of her when runner-up in the Irish Classic at the Curragh on May 28 and Royal Ascot's Coronation on June 23. Their trainer is well accustomed to saddling one-two-threes in the major events and it could be the case again here. “Roly Poly is a solid filly. She's danced every dance this year and has improved with every run,” O'Brien commented. “Her last run was exceptional and she's on the crest of a wave. She'll be right there at the end.”

“Rhododendron had a mishap [when pulled up in the G1 Prix de Diane] in France,” he added. “Maybe some stuff didn't work for her and she bled, which she's never done before or since. Everything has been perfect with her since. She's just ready to start back and we'll be delighted if she runs a nice race. She'll have options like the Breeders' Cup for fillies, which is over a mile and a furlong. There'll be plenty more to come from her.”

Third in this last year, Al Shaqab Racing's Qemah (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) took Royal Ascot's G2 Duke of Cambridge S. on June 21 and was unlucky not to finish closer than fourth to Roly Poly when defending her title in the Rothschild at Deauville on July 30. “She's a brilliant filly on her day,” the owners' racing manager Harry Herbert said. “When she ran in this race last year we just felt she'd gone a little bit over the top by then. You could see in the parade ring beforehand she was a little bit anxious and her coat was going. This year's she's a bit more lightly-raced and Jean-Claude [Rouget] is very happy with her going into it. If she could finish in the first three we'd be delighted and if she could win it, she'd stamp herself as a fairly brilliant filly.” Also in that contest was Cheveley Park Stud's Persuasive (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who was a highly encouraging fifth on her first outing since finishing runner-up to Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in this 12 months ago. “It's a very tough race. Mr O'Brien is sending a lot of powerful guns into the fight,” commented the stud's racing manager Chris Richardson. “John [Gosden] is happy with our filly and I thought she ran very well in France. She was a bit unfortunate as she ended up the meat in the sandwich and didn't have a lot of room, but she ran on well when she did get in the clear. This has been her target. It might be a bit too tough–she's facing some serious opposition–but this is the sort of company she needs to be keeping.”

Runner-up to Roly Poly in the Falmouth on her seasonal return at Newmarket on July 14, Godolphin's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac winner Wuheida (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) is back at a mile having failed to see out the 11 furlongs of Dusseldorf's G1 Preis der Diana when third last time on Aug. 6. “She's in good order. She's come out of Germany well,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “That was her first time at that trip and she didn't stay, it was no more than that. She's coming back in trip. We're looking forward to that.”