Friday's G2 Shadwell Joel S. at Newmarket can act as a springboard to next month's G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. and Nathra (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) could possibly be the answer to a tricky conundrum in this renewal. Successful in the G3 Nell Gwyn S. over seven furlongs here Apr. 12, Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah's bay was also runner-up to La Cressonniere (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) in Deauville's G1 Poule d'Essai des Pouliches May 15. Not seen since finishing ninth in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17, she performs well when fresh and has potential to improve. “She looked very good when she breezed on the Limekilns the other day,” the owner's racing manager Bruce Raymond said. “She'd have a decent chance.”
Fellow 3-year-old Forge (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) was second in the G3 Thoroughbred S. over this trip at Goodwood July 29, but was disappointing when hanging in the straight before finishing sixth in the G3 City of York S. over seven furlongs Aug. 19. Khalid Abdullah's homebred put that behind him when making all just 13 days later in a conditions event over that trip at Haydock Sept. 1, and the owner-breeder's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe commented, “He had a nice confidence booster at Haydock. We hope he's progressive.”
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