St Leger Meeting Gets Underway

[Wandering Eyes]

Doncaster’s big action gets underway on Thursday, when the G2 May Hill S. plays host to an imposing individual in Godolphin’s Dubai Beauty (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Beating the majority of her rivals by clear daylight on her seven-furlong debut at Newmarket Aug. 4, the granddaughter of Short Skirt (GB) (Diktat {GB}) is held in the highest regard by Saeed bin Suroor. “She has had a hood on her to keep her calm and relaxed, but the filly won nicely at Newmarket,” he commented. “She has done good before the race and after it. She is more relaxed now and the way she worked on the Limekilns on Saturday was nice. She is a filly that shows a lot of class. The mile will suit her. There are some nice fillies in the race and physically she will improve. She is one of the best 2-year-old fillies I have.”

Aidan O’Brien’s duo Peach Tree (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Fleeting (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) were second and third in the G3 Flame of Tara S. at The Curragh Sept. 1 and bring the pick of black-type form to the mix, while Kirsten Rausing’s G3 Prestige S. runner-up Accordance (GB) (Archipenko) also adds ballast.

Khalid Abdullah’s Sand Share (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) impressed with the way she went through a seven-furlong novice stakes at Kempton Aug. 8 and as a relative of Zambezi Sun (GB) (Dansili {GB}) should relish this rise in trip.

Older fillies and mares take in the extended 14-furlong trip of the St Leger in the G2 DFS Park Hill S., with the Aug. 23 G1 Yorkshire Oaks fourth Horseplay (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) trying this kind of distance for the first time. Penalised for having beaten God Given (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) in the G2 Lancashire Oaks at Haydock July 7, Cliveden Stud’s homebred has to give 10 pounds to the up-and-coming 3-year-old Pilaster (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}), who beat the subsequent G3 March S. winner and Leger supplementary Maid Up (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in Goodwood’s G2 Lillie Langtry S. Aug. 2. Pilaster’s trainer Roger Varian said, “Given her inexperience, particularly on turf, I thought she showed a commendable attitude at Goodwood and this track on easier ground will most likely suit her more.”

Ballydoyle’s Sizzling (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) is another sophomore on a roll and she captured the G3 Give Thanks S. at Cork Aug. 11 in the manner of a filly in great heart. Already proven at this trip, she has the June 17 G3 Munster Oaks winner Flattering (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) to set the demanding pace she needs.

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