Bac To Basics

The only one to seriously put it up to Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Pretty Polly S. three weeks ago, Bocca Baciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) bids for compensation in Sunday's G2 Kilboy Estate S. at The Curragh. Beaten 4 1/2 lengths by Ballydoyle's 1000 Guineas and Oaks heroine, the Niarchos Family's talented bay had some smart rivals well adrift in that June 26 10-furlong contest and peaked over this course and distance last August when the impressive winner of the G3 Dance Design S. “She's in very good form and we've been happy with her since the last day,” trainer Jessica Harrington commented. “The ground should be perfect for her, she's in good order and I'd be very hopeful, so we'll see.” Five lengths back from Bocca Baciata in the Pretty Polly was Godolphin's Lucida (Ire) (Shamardal), who has yet to regain the form of her second in last year's G1 1000 Guineas and third in the G1 Coronation S. Also in the royal blue is Devonshire (Ire) (Fast Company {Ire}), who captured the G2 Lanwades Stud S. when Lucida was fourth over a mile here May 21 before finishing 10th in the G2 Duke of Cambridge S. at that distance at Royal Ascot June 15. Trainer Willie McCreery said, “Devonshire is in great form and the ground should suit her–there's due to be a proper bit of rain at the Curragh ahead of Sunday. She will need to get everything right to win, but she has been successful in a group 2 at the Curragh already this year and returns there in great form.” Of the Classic generation, Lael Stable's G2 German 1000 Guineas winner Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) holds strong claims despite having to carry a penalty for that June 5 Dusseldorf success. “I think she's going to be quite hard to place, as in my opinion it's a quantum leap from winning a German Guineas to winning a Sun Chariot or a Falmouth,” trainer Hugo Palmer said of the bay who had previously finished third in the G1 Fillies Mile at Newmarket in October and in the G1 Prix Saint-Alary at Deauville May 16. “She has to carry a penalty in Group Twos, so it's not going to be easy to win races, but like I said to her owner, we'd rather be a Classic winner and have the penalty than not be a Classic winner and not.”