Rose of Lancaster Takes Centre Stage

[Wandering Eyes]

Saturday’s action in Europe is more low-key than of late, due largely to the gap between Goodwood and York’s Ebor meeting and also to the fact that The Curragh staged their Phoenix S. card on Friday evening. At Haydock, the G3 Rose of Lancaster S. sees Addeybb (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}) look to build on his win in Royal Ascot’s Listed Wolferton S. June 18 and second to Elarqam (GB) (Frankel {GB}) in the July 27 G2 York S. and Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s G2 Sandown Mile winner of last year has his favoured soft ground. “He seems in good form,” trainer William Haggas commented. “He ran well at York, but I don’t think he ran as well as he did at Ascot.” Heading the opposition is George Strawbridge’s Feb. 23 G3 Winter Derby winner Wissahickon (Tapit) who runs on turf for the first time since winning the prestigious Cambridgeshire H. at Newmarket in September, and the 3-year-olds Pondus (GB) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) and Raise You (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) with the latter coming back from a disappointing effort when 15th in the G1 Prix du Jockey Club at Chantilly June 2.

Newmarket’s G3 German-thoroughbred.com Sweet Solera S. could include Sheikh Hamed Dalmook Al Maktoum’s TDN Rising Star Ultra Violet (GB) (Gleneagles {Ire}) who impressed when winning by eight lengths on debut over six furlongs here June 28. Trainer Ed Vaughan said, “I’m very pleased with her work. She worked on Saturday on the watered gallop and it was the best piece of work she has shown me. The step up to seven furlongs should benefit her. Her best furlong was her last furlong on her first start and she is bred to go seven furlongs, so we are hoping for a big run. Ideally we want the ground good or faster, as she likes to hear her heels rattle and we would probably not run if it was soft.”

Sir Evelyn de Rothschild’s June 23 Pontefract maiden winner Soffika (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is one who will relish the step up from six furlongs on pedigree, being related to Notnowcato (GB). Sir Michael Stoute’s assistant James Horton commented, “We think she is filly with a bit of quality and she likes to bounce off the ground. It is hard to know what they have beat first time out, although it seemed a competitive race at Pontefract.” Godolphin’s July 25 Listed Star S. runner-up Light Blush (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) returns to the scene of her debut success July 13 and Charlie Appleby said, “We were pleased with the performance of Light Blush at and she came out of the race in good order. She won over the course and distance on her debut and we are confident that she should be there or thereabouts.”

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