G1 Pretty Polly S.

Recent G2 Middleton S. heroine Bluestocking (GB) (Camelot {GB}) is targeting the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh on June 29. The Juddmonte homebred, who is trained by Ralph Beckett, was also under consideration for the G1 Coronation Cup on May 31 at Epsom. In 2023, the filly was second in the G1 Irish Oaks and the G1 British Champions Fillies & Mares S. "You're always hoping with a filly like her that she'll improve from three to four, that's not a given but I think we all felt...

Rebecca Hillen's G1 Pretty Polly S. winner Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) will head to France for her next start in the G1 Prix Jean Romanet at Deauville. She most recently finished third in the G1 Tattersalls Falmouth S. at Newmarket on July 14. "Via Sistina is in great shape," Boughey said. "It was a little frustrating watching the [G1] Nassau [last week at Goodwood] without having her in it in that [soft] ground, but it was never really the plan after we went to the Falmouth and she's...

A pair of appeals regarding the finish of the G1 Pretty Polly S. at the Curragh earlier this month have both been dismissed by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB). George Boughey trainee Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), ridden by Jamie Spencer, drifted across the course near the finish and impeded placed horses when winning by two lengths earlier this month. Runner-up Stay Alert (GB) (Fastnet Rock {Aus])'s owners Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib appealed the stewards' decision to leave the placings as is. However, that appeal was dismissed...

Very few elite contests are won in the style that Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) displayed in last month's G2 Dahlia S., but Becky Hillen's star mare has to do it again at the next level in Saturday's G1 Yulong Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Granted more ease in the ground, trainer George Boughey is intent on pitching her against the best of the Irish in the 10-furlong test. "I've never seen her look so well and she's been training super, so it's all systems go as long...

Group 1 winner Nashwa (GB) (Frankel {GB}), who ran fourth in the G2 Prix Corrida on the weekend, is likely to skip Royal Ascot and instead target the G1 Pretty Polly in Ireland on July 1, according to owner Imad Al Sagar's racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. "The Prince of Wales's is an option but I would say, at the moment, talking to Imad this morning and to [trainer] John [Gosden], the preferred option would be the Pretty Polly. "I hope it might be easier to win! There are going to...

The Curragh's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. takes centre stage on Sunday and it is a strong renewal, with the G1 Prix d'Ispahan and G2 Dahlia S. winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) tackling several others who have pretensions at attaining that level. This is the first time that the 5-year-old will tackle a mile and a quarter, but her emphatic display over nine furlongs and 55 yards in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp on May 29 suggests it is time to try. Trainer Ed Walker is hoping...

G2 Dahlia S. heroine Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) will try her luck against males in the G1 Prix d'Ispahan at ParisLongchamp on Sunday, according to trainer Ed Walker. A winner of the G3 Valiant S. last July and third in the G1 Sun Chariot S. later that year, the bay mare clawed out a nose victory in the Dahlia S. at Newmarket on May 1. After her visit to France, the J. Fill colourbearer has an engagement in the June 26 G1 Pretty Polly S. "The plan is...

There have been valid excuses for her missing the target so far in 2021, but Sunday's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh offers the ideal opportunity for 'TDN Rising Star' Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) to deliver on her promise. Lacking vital experience when fourth in the G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket May 2 she was probably undone by a combination of a 12-furlong trip and testing ground when fifth in the June 4 G1 Epsom Oaks. "She clearly ran a hugely promising race for a horse coming...

Breeders' Cup winner Audarya (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) will skip an intended start in the G2 Prix Corrida in France on Wednesday and the G3 Brigadier Gerard S. a day later has also been mooted, according to trainer James Fanshawe. "She's fine," he said. "She was just a bit quiet at the weekend, and it's a long trip to France, so that's why we decided not to go. We decided to give her a bit more time. It's just looking at her--she was just not her usual bouncy self. So...

Back from the brink of retirement following her G1 Champion S. victory at Ascot in October, Magical (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is the next A-list celebrity to step into the limelight in 2020 as she gets reacquainted with top-flight action in Sunday's G1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly S. at The Curragh. Ballydoyle's high achiever has a stunning record at this venue, having won four of her six starts here including last year's G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup by seven lengths and generally is tough to beat in her native country as she proved...