Sitting Pretty

Sunday's G1 Sea the Stars Pretty Polly S. has received the ultimate boost after Aidan O'Brien opted to adorn the 10-furlong test with his star filly Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) as Coolmore embellish this meeting which carries great significance to the operation. Impressive when getting out of jail to complete the G1 1000 Guineas-Epsom Oaks double June 3, Derrick Smith's bay receives 12 pounds from her older rivals due to the weight-for-age scale, and that will surely prove insurmountable if she is anywhere near her best. She showed when she was upset when second here in the May 22 G1 Irish 1000 Guineas that she was not the untouchable she had promised to be after the Newmarket Classic three weeks earlier, but these conditions make another reversal unlikely.

“I've been happy with her since the Oaks and she seems to have come out of Epsom well,” her trainer commented. “It's possible that she could go to Goodwood for the [July 30 G1] Nassau S. after this, and Even Song could go for the Irish Oaks.”

Of the four elders bold enough to try and halt her momentum, the English fillies Koora (GB) (Pivotal {GB}) and Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal) carry most clout. Second and fourth, respectively, in York's G2 Middleton S. over an extended 10 furlongs May 12, the latter has since captured the G2 Prix Corrida at Saint-Cloud May 29 and her trainer James Fanshawe said, “It's a step up for her after winning at Saint-Cloud a few weeks ago, but she's in good shape and worked nicely last weekend. I'm happy with her and we'll see what she can do, but she will need to raise her game to beat a filly like Minding.”

The Niarchos Family's Bocca Bacciata (Ire) (Big Bad Bob {Ire}) enjoyed her finest hour when winning the G3 Dance Design S. over nine furlongs here last August, but seems to have otherwise had her limitations exposed and was a well-beaten fourth in the 10 1/2-furlong G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup returned to this venue last time May 22. “I was hoping for a bit of nice ground. Whether we get it or not, we'll have to wait and see,” trainer Jessie Harrington said. “She is in very good form, so we'll let her take her chance. She didn't disgrace herself in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and if we can finish in the first three we'll be thrilled.”