Boasting a near-faultless tally when the going is not on the quick side, Quiet Reflection (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) has ideal conditions as she bids for a third top-level success in Saturday's G1 Qipco British Champions Sprint at Ascot. Third to Limato (Ire) (Tagula {Ire}) on good-to-firm in the G1 July Cup at Newmarket July 9, the 3-year-old sprinting sensation of 2016 has been beaten on only one other occasion throughout her career when still a raw youngster in the G2 Lowther S. at York last August. Her wins either side of the July Cup in the G1 Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting June 17 and in the Sept. 3 G1 Haydock Sprint Cup make her the standard-bearer over this trip at which the 2-years older Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) remains unproven. “I think she'll be seven kilos heavier than at Ascot in June and probably two heavier than when she won at Haydock,” Quiet Reflection's trainer Karl Burke said. “She's still filling out and that's what makes me think she'll be an even better filly next year. It would be great to be champion sprinter. As long as she runs well I think she's got a great chance, but if she wins I don't see how she can't be. It would be a fantastic achievement to have bought and trained a champion in her division. Mecca's Angel is a great filly, but she hasn't performed as consistently as we have.”
Out of the frame on her only two outings in excess of five furlongs, Mecca's Angel–who proved when recording back-to-back wins in the G1 Nunthorpe S. Aug. 19 that she is nigh-on unbeatable in that York dash–has a major question mark hanging over her here. If the trip was not a big enough imponderable, her latest third in a renewal of the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye that she should arguably have had little trouble winning at Chantilly 13 days ago also casts a doubt. This is her career finale and trainer Michael Dods was paying tribute on Friday. “You dream about having horses like her,” he said. “She's done the whole yard a lot of good, she's done Paul Mulrennan and myself a lot of good. We live in hope that we can find another one like her, but it will probably be impossible. It's a stiffish six furlongs and nobody knows if she will stay, but I'm encouraged that the two times she's won at York she's been way around the corner before she's been pulled up. Good ground or good-to-soft is perfect for her.”
Al Shaqab Racing's Shalaa (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) has made the gig which looked unlikely for much of the year and the manner of his comeback success in the G3 Bengough S. over this course and distance on unsuitably soft ground a fortnight ago suggests he can make his presence felt. “The run has put him right. He probably went in there about 80% fit and now he's exactly where we want him,” trainer John Gosden said of last year's G1 Middle Park S., G1 Prix Morny, G2 July S. and G2 Richmond S. winner. “It was very fortunate the race was there at Ascot just two weeks before. It's close enough, but with sprinters I think that's fine and I've been very happy with him since. He's missed really all of the season, but we have him back for the big one.”
Having ruled out Limato, Henry Candy still has a major chance of success with last year's runner-up Twilight Son (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), who had the subsequent G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest hero Signs of Blessing (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) back in third in the G1 Diamond Jubilee S. over this track and trip June 18. Only 14th in the July Cup when the ground was too fast, last year's G1 Haydock Sprint Cup hero has perfect conditions as he boosts a strong edition. “He's working very well now and seems very happy. I think he's almost better fresh now, so I'm not bothered he hasn't had a prep run,” trainer Henry Candy commented. “If Shalaa improves as much as John thinks he has, then he'll probably be the one to beat. It's a very hot race, but I think he'll be there or thereabouts.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
