'She should be a big player even with her penalty' - who rates his filly's chances highly in the Dahlia?

Like the top-notch mare after whom it is named, this is not a race whose quality should be underestimated.

Dahlia won 15 races in five different countries in the mid-1970s, perhaps most famously landing two victories each in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and the Benson and Hedges Gold Cup (now Juddmonte International) at York.

And the contest run in her honour has been won by a high-class five-year-old in the last two seasons, Lady Bowthorpe and Dreamloper going on to collect three Group 1 races between them afterwards.

The only proven top-level winner in this field is Prosperous Voyage, whose shock defeat of 1-7 shot Inspiral in the Falmouth Stakes on the July course came sufficiently early last summer that she escapes a penalty in this Group 2 event.

While it is difficult to gauge precisely what she achieved in beating the below-form favourite, she had been beaten previously just a neck in the 1,000 Guineas on this card and clearly goes well on a sound surface on a straight track.

She also proved herself tactically versatile when making the running in the Falmouth, which is not the case for all her likely main rivals, several of whom have raced keenly and may be disadvantaged if this turns into a muddling affair.

Pretty Polly Stakes winner With The Moonlight is proven here, for all that this will be a very different test to those she has faced in the USA and Dubai more recently.

But she has to concede 3lb and Godolphin also run Life In Motion, who ought not be taken lightly on this step back up in class. Although her three Listed wins have been gained by an aggregate of barely a length, she appears to be the type who does just enough.

Via Sistina would be of interest if this became a test of stamina. She failed by a neck to land the 1m2f Pride Stakes here last autumn on her first run for George Boughey, who has high hopes for her this year after her come-from-behind win in a Group 3 in Toulouse.

Pretty Polly winner returns

With The Moonlight has seen plenty of the world since she bolted up by nearly five lengths in the Pretty Polly Stakes on this card last year.

After finishing well beaten in the Oaks at Epsom, she proved that Pretty Polly win was no flash in the pan with a series of good efforts in America, notably landing the Saratoga Oaks in New York.

With The Moonlight streaks to victory in last year's Pretty Polly StakesCredit: Edward Whitaker

The Godolphin filly then won twice in Dubai this winter before returning to the USA to finish second in a Grade 1 contest at Keeneland last month.

Trainer Charlie Appleby, who won this with Wuheida in 2018, said: "With The Moonlight came back from Keeneland in great order and is a rock-solid filly. Nine furlongs is a perfect distance for her and she should be a big player, even with her penalty, providing the ground doesn’t get too testing.”

Dettori aiming for one last Dahlia

Frankie Dettori won the first Dahlia Stakes in 1997 and more than a quarter of a century later he attempts to sign off with another victory in his final attempt.

It was only a Listed race when he won on Balalaika for Luca Cumani 26 years ago, getting the better of Pat Eddery, Ray Cochrane and John Reid among others, and has been a Group 2 race since 2015.

Ralph Beckett: trainer of Prosperous VoyageCredit: Edward Whitaker

Prosperous Voyage won the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes on the July course here last season and that followed second place in the 1,000 Guineas last May, although she was not at her best in two outings on a soft surface in the autumn.

Trainer Ralph Beckett said: “Prosperous Voyage has trained well ahead of her return and will come on for the race.”

What they say

Roger Varian, trainer of Al Husn
She was progressive last year, winning four of her starts, including twice on the Rowley Mile. We're stepping out of handicap company, but she should hopefully be able to step up in class this year. We're looking forward to seeing how she goes over a mile and a furlong too.

Andre Fabre, trainer of Hidden Dimples and Life In Motion
I think they will have benefited from the race at Longchamp and are in good shape. The distance and the course should suit them and I expect them to both run well. There's not much between the two because Hidden Dimples has progressed after a good rest this winter, and she finished off very well in the Prix Jacques Laffitte.

Ed Walker, trainer of Random Harvest
She did nothing but improve last season. This has been her target all winter, she's training really well and looks great. That said, she may just need the run a bit as she's very laid-back at home.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Shaara
It looks a competitive race but this trip should suit her well and we are hopeful she can handle the ground. 

George Boughey, trainer of Via Sistina
She's ground dependent and probably needs more rain, but she's done very well through the winter from four to five, her form at Newmarket is her standout form and she's in great shape.

Sunday previews:

1.15 Newmarket: 'He looks the one to beat' - 2021 Derby hero Adayar returns in the rescheduled Gordon Richards Stakes    

1.50 Newmarket: 'This has been the plan pretty much since he won last year' - Baker hoping for a repeat    

3.40 Newmarket: 'The race is two weeks earlier than I'd have ideally liked' - Weld sounds note of caution over favourite Tahiyra    

3.25 Leopardstown: Aidan O'Brien triple-handed in search for 16th Derby Trial success at Leopardstown  

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