Mile in Mind

Following the success of her stable companion Ballydoyle (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in Sunday's G1 Prix Marcel Boussac, Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) will be a tough nut to crack in Friday's G1 Dubai Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.

Second to that barnmate in the seven-furlong G2 Debutante S. at The Curragh Aug. 22, Susan Magnier's daughter of the accomplished Lillie Langtry (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) reversed that form in the Sept. 13 G1 Moyglare Stud S. back over that same track and trip, where fellow Aidan O'Brien trainee Alice Springs (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) was back in third before running a close-up fourth in the G1 Cheveley Park S. and winning the £300,000 Tattersalls Millions 2yo Fillies' Trophy here.

Despite Minding's impeccable credentials, this is a strong renewal and far from a closed case with another from her operation in the Sept. 27 G3 C.L. & M.F. Weld Park S. scorer Coolmore (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and also Godolphin's Promising Run (Hard Spun) who is a solid contender based on her latest win in the G2 Rockfel S. over seven furlongs here Sept. 25.

“I know it's only two weeks since her last run, but she has come back well,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said of Promising Run. “She worked well a few days ago and came back happy and fresh, which is a good sign, and that is the reason I am running her. She is a quiet filly and easy to train and has always looked nice, but early season she was a bit weak and that is why we have given her time. She has done well physically and maybe after this race she will go to Dubai, but it depends how she runs. She is similar to [the 2010 Fillies' Mile winner] White Moonstone in the way she works in the morning, but she was a more forward filly where she is one for next year, really. The way she works, she has a good turn of foot and I think her best trip will be a mile and a quarter.”

Supplemented this week, Abdullah Saeed Al Naboodah's unbeaten Nathra (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}) hails from the John Gosden stable, and the way in which she administered a seven-length beating to inferiors in a seven-furlong conditions event at Newbury Sept. 18 suggests she will hold her own here. Previously, she had the subsequent 14-length winner Light Music (GB) (Elusive Quality) back in second on debut over that trip at Salisbury Sept. 3.

“Nathra has done very well since her last race, we are very pleased with her although we are aware that this represents a huge leap in class,” her conditioner commented. “The form of her maiden has worked out nicely. Frankie felt that she was ready for a race like this and his judgment is usually fairly good. He didn't really want to run her in the Prix Marcel Boussac, because he felt that the turning track might not suit her–you have to be a bit streetwise at Longchamp.”

There are two intriguing contenders who have yet to be tested in black-type company in Saleh Al Homaizi and Imad Al Sagar's Sept. 5 Ascot scorer Dawn of Hope (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) and Jon Kelly's Aug. 21 York winner Beautiful Morning (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) from the Roger Varian and Luca Cumani stables, respectively, and success for either would be no great surprise given the real substance and promise of their latest performances.

The fact that the Aug. 29 G3 Prestige S. winner Hawksmoor (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}) and the Sept. 11 G2 May Hill S. second and third Marenko (GB) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) and Opal Tiara (Ire) (Thousand Words {GB}) are trading at 20-1 and bigger is testament to how tough this renewal is.