'She's well drawn' - can Adaay In Devon record a third Listed success of the season in Pontefract's feature race?
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It is rare for the Flying Fillies’ Stakes to attract a horse the calibre of Believing but that is what happened last year. Believing is now an established top-class sprinter, while this bunch have been mixing and matching between handicaps and Listed races/Group 3s.
Adaay In Devon must feature prominently in any discussions surrounding the most likeable horses in training. She has raced eight times this season, never finished out of the first four in any of those, and even managed to post a lifetime best Racing Post Rating by 6lb eight days ago on Shergar Cup day.
However, RPRs can sometimes flatter topweights in handicaps and it is unlikely she achieved much more than in her two previous close encounters with Flora Of Bermuda. That horse has since finished fourth in the Prix Maurice de Gheest this month, so can be considered a rock-solid benchmark in the division.
Rage Of Bamby also emerges from the handicap ranks. She scored in good style at York three weeks ago, but Pontefract’s stiff 6f asks another question of her. Her profile suggests there is no guarantee she will back up that excellent effort considering her strong record fresh.
Marine Wave and Miaharris complete the group of likely winners. Marine Wave is slightly in and out, but arrives at the top of her game after losing by a nose in an ultra-competitive Racing League handicap.
Three-year-old Miaharris has the potential for further improvement. She was an impressive last-to-first winner of the St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury on this weekend last season, shaping as if the 5f at Newbury was a bare minimum for her, and simply failed to stay 7f when fourth at Deauville on her previous outing. This in-between distance appears optimal.
Analysis by Robbie Wilders
Going latest
The going on Saturday was described as good to firm, good in places. Clerk of the course Richard Hammill said: "It's overcast. We're putting 3mm of water on today just to stop it doing anything. It's a similar forecast for Sunday, around 20C, and there is no rain forecast. It's a mixture of good and good to firm at the minute and we're not expecting it to change."
What they say
Rod Millman, trainer of Adaay In Devon
She’s very consistent and ran very well at the Shergar Cup meeting. Silvestre de Sousa knows her very well and she is well drawn in stall one.
Philip Robinson, racing manager to Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, owner of Marine Wave
We don’t know went wrong on her penultimate start at York but she bounced back to form when second to a decent type at Wolverhampton last time. The track should suit and hopefully she can get some black type.
Ed Walker, trainer of Midream
She shaped a little better at Chelmsford last time and is in good form after being freshened up since that outing.
Eve Johnson Houghton, trainer of Rage Of Bamby
I don't love the track for her, but she's in great form. If it was a flat, galloping track I think she'd win.
Reporting by David Milnes
Read more . . .
'He hasn't run bad all year' - who comes out on top in this competitive £50,000 sprint handicap?
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