Successful in the G1 Qatar Prix Vermeille 12 months ago, the Wertheimers's Left Hand (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) returns to Chantilly on Sunday with an eye on the repeat as Carlos Laffon-Parias plots her steady road back to a peak. Having taken advantage of the weight-for-age allowance when beating Godolphin's Endless Time (Ire) (Sea the Stars {Ire}) by a half-length in 2016, the homebred has to renew rivalry on level terms with that rival but connections kept her in training with more Group 1 glory in mind and her progress so far this term suggests she is coming right at the right time. She gave positive signals on her latest outing when a strong-closing third behind Ajman Princess (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) in Deauville's G1 Prix Jean Romanet over a mile and a quarter Aug. 20 and will be more at home returning to this trip. “It has taken a little bit of time to get her back to her best this year, but she ran a very good race in the Romanet,” the owner-breeders's racing manager Pierre-Yves Bureau commented. “She was a bit unlucky, but she showed she is back to a very good level. Carlos has been very happy with her since Deauville and we think stepping back up to a mile and a half will suit her.”
Whether Ajman Princess's Deauville career-best was an aberration remains to be seen, but the adoption of front-running tactics due largely to the input of her owner-breeder Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum paid dividends there. Back at a mile and a half, she needs to up her game again and trainer Roger Varian said, “Ajman Princess showed a fine attitude when making the running in the Prix Jean Romanet and I think a good gallop allows her to show her best form. We are going back up in trip on what looks to be softer ground, but she is already a Group 1 winner and this was the logical next step.” Another British raider who has profited from racing at the head of affairs is St Albans Bloodstock Limited's Aug. 13 G3 Prix Minerve winner God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and given that she is a half to Postponed (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), she can be expected to carry on improving.
In an open renewal, Endless Time is worthy of respect coming back here off a success in the G3 Lillie Langtry S. at Glorious Goodwood Aug. 3 and trainer Charlie Appleby has enjoyed a fruitful spell in France of late. “One thing she does love is ease in conditions and it looks like that's what we're going to get there at Chantilly on Sunday,” her trainer said. “A repeat performance of last year's run in that puts her bang there.” Godolphin are also represented by the Andre Fabre-trained Strathspey (GB) (New Approach {Ire}) who captured the G2 Prix de Malleret over this trip at Saint-Cloud July 2 before running fourth in the 10-furlong G2 Prix de la Nonette at Deauville Aug. 19. “She ran well in Deauville and I think the extra distance of the mile and a half will help her,” Fabre said. “Her form is maybe not so strong, but she has a great turn of foot and I think she will run well.”
John Gosden saddles last year's G1 QIPCO British Champions Fillies & Mares S. heroine Journey (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and the July 8 G2 Lancashire Oaks winner The Black Princess (Fr) (Iffraaj {GB}), with the former looking to get back to her prior best having finished 10th in the G1 Pretty Polly S. over 10 furlongs at The Curragh last time July 2. The Aug. 3 G1 Nassau S. runner-up Blond Me (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}) and June 10 G3 Pinnacle S. and Aug. 6 G2 Prix de Pomone scorer Bateel (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) both thrive on easy ground.
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