Resurgent pilot Frankie Dettori is hoping Star of Seville (GB) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}) can make a smooth transition to pattern-race company in Wednesday's G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York. The John Gosden trainee is on an upward trajectory, having improved on a debut third at Leicester last October with impressive scores at Doncaster Oct. 24 and at Newbury on seasonal return last time Apr. 17.
“Star of Seville won that race at Newbury and has done everything well,” Dettori said. “She is taking on a Group 1 winner so needs a personal best.”
Lady Bamford's homebred may have a fitness edge on her main rival Together Forever (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who closed last season with victories in the Oct. 12 Listed Staffordstown Stud S. at The Curragh and G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket five days later. The Rosegreen incumbent also carries a four-pound impost for that latest success. Ryan Moore takes over the reins from Joseph O'Brien, who has been in the plate for all six of the €680,000 GOFORB yearling's prior starts. Remarkably, trainer Aidan O'Brien has yet to strike in this contest. Pandora (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) becomes trainer Charles Hills' second runner in this G1 Epsom Oaks trial and Sir Robert Ogden's homebred chestnut seeks to follow up an eyecatching debut score besting both sexes at Doncaster on the opening day of this year's turf season Mar. 27.
“Pandora seems in good form and I have been pleased with her since Doncaster,” explained Hills. “I was encouraged by her performance and she obviously stays well. They went a good, solid gallop in the race and she showed a nice turn of foot at the end. She has got to step up on that in this trial, but she has done nothing wrong and it will tell us what sort of level she is at.”
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