By Sean Cronin
Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion–Bella Nouf {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) improved off a debut fourth at Newmarket's July venue with wide-margin wins in one-mile heats at Lingfield and Chelmsford last term and opened this campaign with a decisive score on sophomore return at Kempton last month. Back on the turf for the first time since that first-up effort, she rewarded the race sponsor David Howden with a first win of the Guineas meet and provided the Gosden stable with a seventh triumph in this usually informative G1 Oaks pointer.
The 10-3 chance settled into a comfortable rhythm and raced in a midfield fifth through halfway. Powering forward to loom large on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, she was soon in splendid isolation and surged clear of toiling rivals on the final ascent to easily outclass the hitherto undefeated Sumo Sam (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by 4 1/2 lengths.
“We brought her down here for a piece of work and Oisin [Murphy] said we should go for the Pretty Polly rather than the 1000 Guineas as she'll need the mile-and-a-quarter, so we've made the right decision,” said John Gosden. “It will be very interesting with this filly whether she's more a Prix de Diane or an Oaks filly. We've got more trials to come, there's the Musidora at York and the Newbury trial, so we'll see how it shapes up. The jockey's first reaction was to possibly stay at a mile-and-a-quarter and I'm always interested as to what they say when they come back straight away, not when they've had time to think. We'll give it a lot of thought and the idea would be to go to one of the Oaks, which one it is I don't know.”
Running Lion becomes the second black-type scorer for Bella Nouf (GB) (Dansili {GB}), whose first is G3 Sweet Solera S. victrix Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Bella Nouf is a dual-winning half-sister to three black-type performers headed by Listed Lyric S. victrix Nouriya (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of G2 Duke of Cambride S. heroine Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal) and Listed John Musker Fillies' S. winner Majestic Noor (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Running Lion's third dam Shy Danceuse (Groom Dancer) is responsible for Listed Prix Occitanie winner Sweet Story (Ire) (Green Tune) and Listed Oppenheim-Rennen first Shy Lady (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}), the latter being the dam of five stakes scorers headed by G1 St. James's Palace S. hero and G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Zafeen (Fr) (Zafonic). Hailing from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning sire Opening Verse (The Minstrel), the February-foaled grey is kin to the unraced 2-year-old colt Star Runner (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) and a yearling colt by Kameko.
Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
HOWDEN PRETTY POLLY S.-Listed, £50,000, Newmarket, 5-7, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:05.86, sf.
1–RUNNING LION (GB), 128, f, 3, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Bella Nouf (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Majestic Sakeena (Ire), by King's Best
3rd Dam: Shy Danceuse, by Groom Dancer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-David Howden; B-The Bella Nouf Partnership (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Oisin Murphy. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $61,547. *1/2 to Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}), GSW-Eng.
2–Sumo Sam (GB), 128, f, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Seaduced (GB), by Lope De Vega (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Ben & Sir Martyn Arbib; B-Arbib Bloodstock Partnership (GB); T-Paul & Oliver Cole. £10,750.
3–Trust The Stars (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Son Macia (Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). (€140,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Valmont; B-S.Elektrowelt24 & Sunderland Holding Inc (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £5,380.
Margins: 4HF, 3 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.33, 7.50, 3.33.
Also Ran: Crackovia (GB), Queen Of Fairies (GB), Fantizzy (GB), Tarjamah (GB), Floating Spirit (GB), Joyful Act (GB). Scratched: Cloudbreaker (GB).
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