Highclere Fillies Target Irish Group 1s

[Wandering Eyes]

Believing (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}), placed twice at the highest level, is in good order ahead of a start in the G1 Flying Five Stakes at the Curragh on Sept. 15, according to Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's Harry Herbert.

A winner of the G2 Sapphire Stakes over the minimum trip at the Curragh in July, the 4-year-old filly was third to Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}) in the G2 King George Stakes at Goodwood, before running fan favourite Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) to three-quarters of a length in the G1 Nunthorpe Stakes on Aug. 23.

He said, “A wonderful performance and sensational splits through those last two furlongs so we head to the Curragh for the Flying Five, on a track where she won a Group 2 last time and hopefully she will be highly competitive again.

“She's an extraordinary animal and giving everyone a lot of fun, so we hope it doesn't get too soft over in Ireland and she can go one better.

“We'll see who turns up and what the ground is like and see what the final field for the Saturday looks like. Game on [for the rematch with Bradsell]. He's a wonderful horse, Bradsell, fantastic, and we weren't that far away on the wrong side.

“This is a straight five and hopefully we can get Ryan [Moore] again and Bradsell will obviously be a pretty warm favourite and we hope to go one better.”

Last out G3 Prix de Lieurey heroine Soprano (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}) is another Highclere filly hoping to make her mark at the highest level. Also slated for a start on Irish Champions Weekend in mid-September, the 3-year-old will start in the G1 Matron Stakes, all being well.

Herbert said, “She's thriving, she's fantastic and I think what we learned in France was very much that we won't be afraid to ride her prominently.

“She's had this little bit of a quirk where she's running free and then it's settle her down, settle her down at the back and in fact what she wants to be doing is be much more prominent.

“She seems to really enjoy that style of racing so in Ireland that will very much be the plan to ride her sensibly but don't give her too much to do.”

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