'She will love the fast ground' - conditions right for Love to bring her A-game

Saturday: 8.59 Del Mar
Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (Grade 1) | 1m3f | 3yo+ | ITV4/RTV/Sky

In the last decade this race has been dominated by European raiders and Chad Brown's talented string, but this year's running revolves around the new US superstar War Like Goddess.

The daughter of English Channel might be American trained, but she is a wolf in sheep's clothing in that she is every inch European in style. She runs only on turf and will adopt European tactics, meaning she will be held up to deliver a late challenge.

Think more Goldikova than Wise Dan and it will be interesting to see whether War Like Goddess can beat the Europeans at their own game by sitting, waiting and pouncing late.

The strange thing about this race is that the best European in the line up, Love, isn't the archetypal European horse. She doesn't possess a blistering turn of foot and is more American in her approach. She races prominently and is a relentless galloper once in front.

All of her best form is over a mile and a half and this mile and three furlongs around tight turns might put her at the mercy of a finisher. One thing is for sure: she needs to kick early.

Audarya hasn't won since last year's Filly & Mare Turf, but she has shown improved form in defeat and got up only late over a furlong and a half shorter at Keeneland 12 months ago. The extra distance and wide draw are concerns, but the return to quicker conditions will suit.

She handles it heavy, but her best form is with firm in the description and this faster surface might give her the edge over Rougir, who finished three places ahead of her on testing going in the Prix de l'Opera at Longchamp last time and bids to give France its first win in this race since 2001.

Chad Brown has won four of the last nine runnings, so it would be dangerous to completely discount his runners Pocket Square and My Sister Nat, but both are longshots on the overnight board.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway

Conditions sure to suit Love

If Love can produce anything close to her best she could take a lot of beating in this, but last year's 1,000 Guineas and Oaks heroine must bounce back from three defeats in a row in this red-hot Grade 1.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained star returned with a brilliant triumph in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot, but has not hit those heights since and was chinned in her prep for this when La Petite Coco capitalised on a 9lb weight concession in the Blandford Stakes at the Curragh.

However, O'Brien is confident she has improved for that and only swerved a tilt at the Turf to allow her male stablemates to run in that race instead.

"We were very happy with her run at the Curragh," he said. "That was supposed to be her prep for the Arc, so it wasn't the be-all-and-end-all for her. She will love the fast ground here and is in good order."

Audarya bids to become a dual winner of the Filly & Mare TurfCredit: Ph.flament

Audarya crowned an excellent 2020 with a narrow win in this at Keeneland, but has not hit the same heights either this term.

She was a gallant second to Love at Ascot and bounced back to something like her best level when narrowly denied by Grand Glory in the Prix Jean Romanet, before finishing an honest fourth to Rougir on deep ground in the Prix de l'Opera.

She is poorly drawn this time in 12, while Rougir has fared better in stall four and Cedric Rossi’s three-year-old is consistent, but whether she will be as effective on this much faster surface is hard to be confident about.

The Japanese runner Loves Only You was just half a length behind Mishriff in the Dubai Sheema Classic in the spring and then won the QEII Cup in Hong Kong. She is an interesting contender, as is Bill Mott’s classy War Like Goddess.

The four-year-old has won six of her seven starts, including when an emphatic winner in a Saratoga Grade 1 when last seen in September. She has a reasonable draw in stall seven and it is not hard to see why Julien Leparoux's mount is vying for favouritism.

What they say

Andrew Duff, assistant to Ger Lyons, trainer of Acanella
She ran well in the Matron when she didn't get the clearest passage. She's an improving filly who will be staying out here afterwards.

Cedric Rossi, trainer of Rougir
We're here to win, not to make up the numbers. She's drawn perfectly and I don't see the trip being a problem for her. This comes up soon enough after the Opera so she only did some relatively light work before leaving and she had her final little canter here on Thursday. All the lights are green.

Bill Mott, trainer of War Like Goddess
She's really has been good ever since her last race in the Flower Bowl, but we hope there's more there because this is a very good field against some good fillies. You have to be impressed with her.

Yoshito Yahagi, trainer Loves Only You
She gets better every year. I was satisfied with the way she moved when getting a feel of the turf on Tuesday. It's a western-style turf track but it is quite quick so I expect her to adapt.

Oisin Murphy, rider of Ocean Road
She's got a great temperament and can run a career best.

Tom Fanshawe, son of James Fanshawe, trainer of Audarya
We're very happy with her. She has run well the last twice and the ground was just very deep in the Opera. She enjoyed it at Keeneland last year so if she gets a strong pace, that will suit. The draw isn't ideal, but we'll do our best to get across, and like any race here, she'll need luck in running.
Reporting by Richard Forristal at Del Mar

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