Third in the G1 Falmouth S. at Newmarket July 8, Godolphin's Always Smile (Ire) (Cape Cross {Ire}) looks the class act among the fillies lined up for Friday's G3 L'Ormarins Queens Plate S. at Goodwood. Having beaten the smart Convey (GB) (Dansili {GB}) in York's Listed Hambleton S. over a mile May 12, she was third in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at Royal Ascot also at that trip June 15 and, despite this drop in trip, trainer Saeed bin Suroor is happy she will adapt. “She is a tough filly that always tries hard. She ran a really good race at Newmarket in the Group 1,” he explained. “I feel she is doing really well at home and she is in good form. Although it is a Group 3, there are some nice fillies in the race. She is small, but has a big heart. She came out of Newmarket really well and I am looking forward to another good run.”
After finishing fourth in the G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches over a mile at Deauville May 15 and second in the six-furlong G3 Summer S. at York last time July 8, this intermediate trip may be ideal for last year's G2 Lowther S. heroine Besharah (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}). Previously, she had finished third behind Marenko (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and the subsequent listed winner Light Up Our World (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G3 Fred Darling S. staged this year on Chelmsford's Polytrack Apr. 16. Marenko has since finished 12th in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17 and her owner Cheveley Park Stud's managing director Chris Richardson is expecting better with the drop in class. “It was probably too big an ask last time and she probably had her Guineas success when winning the Fred Darling, which at the time we were delighted she won,” he said. “We didn't put her in the Guineas, as at the time we thought she might not be good enough, but we got tempted by Royal Ascot. She is now back in Group 3 company, which is a more realistic level. If they get a drop of rain, which is forecast, that would help her.”
Alongside Always Smile, Godolphin also rely on Mise En Rose (War Front), who looked ready for this rise in grade when winning a competitive seven-furlong handicap at Newmarket July 8. That represented a huge improvement on her prior 15th in the Listed Sandringham H. over a mile at Royal Ascot, but she had her favoured fast ground last time. “After running at Ascot, she returned to quicker ground at Newmarket and I thought that was probably a career-best performance,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “She's gone up in the handicap and we thought she deserved to take her place in a race like this to see if we can pick up a bit of black-type. It looks like it will be quick ground and seven furlongs is right up her street, so she has conditions to suit. We know she's got to improve again, but she's a very capable filly and hopefully she can.”
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