Bow Ideal

Ribbons (GB) (Manduro {Ger}) may not normally be the most flashy of characters, but if there is a race that suits every fibre of her body it is Deauville’s G1 Darley Prix Jean Romanet, and the Elite Racing Club’s homebred returns on Sunday in rude health to the scene of her career-best success 12 months ago. Third under a penalty in the G2 Middleton S. at York May 14 and in the G1 Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh last time June 28, the 5-year-old is poised to peak now that the inevitable Normandy rain has descended once again. “She’s in good form; we’re very happy with her,” commented Dan Downie, racing manager for the owner-breeder syndicate. “I think it’s definitely a tougher race than it was 12 months ago, but we’re happy with her and the most important thing with her is the ground. We’ve kept her for this on purpose and she’s ready to go.” Fellow British challenger Madame Chiang (GB) (Archipenko) is another who will benefit from easy underfoot conditions, having finished a latest respectable, if non-threatening, fourth in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. at Ascot July 25 on her first outing since finishing fifth in the Middleton. Kirsten Rausing’s homebred is being geared towards a repeat win in the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S., but has the class to make her presence felt here en route, while the domestic representation is strong with Ribbons’s G1 Prix de l’Opera conqueror We Are (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) starring for George Strawbridge as one of three leading French fillies in attendance. Ant Caro and Gerard Augustin-Normand’s 2014 G1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Avenir Certain (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire})) has yet to regain her momentum this term, but showed she was still capable of top-class form when a nose in front of the Wertheimers’ Bawina (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) when the duo were third and fourth, respectively, in Newmarket’s G1 Falmouth S. July 10. Bawina has since finished third behind the Falmouth winner Amazing Maria (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in the G1 Prix Rothschild over a mile here three weeks ago.