G1 Fillies' Mile

Taking another step forward from her G2 May Hill Stakes success, Godolphin's Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}--Promising Run, by Hard Spun) emphatically established herself at the head of the pecking order among the stronger-staying juvenile fillies of 2024 in Friday's G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. Having mastered Ballydoyle's January (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) by 1 1/2 lengths at Doncaster last month, the Charlie Appleby-trained TDN Rising Star made it 5 1/2 this time as she opened up with the rising ground to the line bringing out her superior stamina....

Having extended her unbeaten sequence in Doncaster's G2 May Hill Stakes, Godolphin's Desert Flower (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) has to do it all over again in Friday's G1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket. On the face of it, the TDN Rising Star may only have to repeat last month's form, with Ballydoyle's number one looking to be the runner-up January (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) if jockey bookings are the guide. Ryan Moore has opted for the Listed Churchill Stakes scorer, who has 1 1/2 lengths to find on Desert Flower, with...

Friday's G1 Fillies' Mile became a test of stamina and character and there was no shirking of the issue from TDN Rising Star Ylang Ylang (GB) (Frankel {GB}--Shambolic {Ire}, by Shamardal) as she provided Aidan O'Brien with a record-equalling sixth renewal of the Newmarket feature. Beaten twice since winning Leopardstown's G3 Silver Flash S. in July, the 1.5million gns Book 1 relative of Viva Pataca (GB) (Marju {Ire}) was better than the bare form of her third in this track's seven-furlong G2 Rockfel S. last month and had race tactics...

Clipper Logistics' Group 1 winner Fallen Angel (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) will not be seen on a racecourse again this season and instead will target a Guineas next spring, according to Joe Foley, racing manager for the owners. The imposing three-for-four Karl Burke trainee won her Haydock debut in May, ran second at listed level at Sandown in July and then rattled off victories in August's G3 Sweet Solera S. and the G1 Moyglare Stud S. at the Curragh in September. She was under consideration for next week's G1...

Now that Europe is firmly ensconced in autumn, Newmarket's Rowley Mile is the stage for some of the season's most revered 2-year-old encounters and Friday sees the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile help sort out the pecking order in the female division. Topping that category at present is Cheveley Park Stud's unbeaten Inspiral (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who was introduced on the July Course here June 26 before putting the re-opposing subsequent GI Natalma S. winner Wild Beauty (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in her place in Sandown's Listed Star S. July 22 and...

Following a BHA inquiry into a saddling error that occurred prior to the running of the G1 Fillies' Mile, trainer Aidan O'Brien has been fined £4,000. His two fillies, Mother Earth (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) and Snowfall (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), apparently ran eighth and third in the event, but O'Brien quickly alerted the British Horseracing Authority that in fact the horses had swapped saddle towels and jockeys. The BHA amended the result with Mother Earth and Snowfall correctly placed third and eighth, respectively. O'Brien was not present at Newmarket the...

Friday sees a clash of the 2-year-old heavyweights in the G1 bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket, where George Strawbridge's 'TDN Rising Star' Indigo Girl (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) has to defend her unbeaten record against Ireland's best in Shale (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Pretty Gorgeous (Fr) (Lawman {Fr}). In a renewal that also features Paul and Clare Rooney's Aug. 29 G3 Prestige S. and Sept. 25 G2 Rockfel S. scorer Isabella Giles (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}), the championship pecking order should be in some part established within the sub-100-second period it takes...