Who will peak in the Pinnacle Stakes? Get the lowdown from Tom Collins

Betway Pinnacle Stakes (Group 3) | 1m4f | 4yo | fillies and mares | ITV/RTV

You can never have too much of a good thing. That is certainly the mindset of leading owner-breeder Kirsten Rausing, who has produced Group-quality staying fillies on a yearly basis at Lanwades Stud in Newmarket. To succeed with similar types of horses, race planning has to take the highest priority.

Rausing had the three top-rated fillies entered in the Pinnacle Stakes on Monday, but relies solely on Oriental Mystique, who runs here instead of taking on Sangarius and Extra Elusive in the Brigadier Gerard at Sandown on Thursday.

Boasting the pedigree of a champion (by Kingman out of Group 1-winning mare Madame Chiang), Oriental Mystique is yet to achieve her expected heights on the track with just a novice victory to her name. However, she rewarded connections for ambitious planning when second of five in the Group 2 Prix de Malleret at Longchamp last year and was only beaten a length on her reappearance at Goodwood.

Madame Chiang: high-class sort who loved testing ground is the dam of Oriental MystiqueCredit: Edward Whitaker

Conditions will be completely different at Haydock, but it would be hard to pass up such an attractive opportunity to record a highly-desired Group victory with a filly who will undoubtedly play a part in the Rausing breeding operation in the future.

Rated 1lb lower than Oriental Mystique is Cabaletta – the likely market leader after strong midweek support from an opening price of 4-1.

She is comparable in many ways. They are both often ridden patiently, have achieved Group 2 seconds, took third on their respective reappearances and are homebreds from quality staying families, but Cabaletta has gone one step further by scoring in Listed company.

However, favourite backers should be aware that her sole Haydock effort last term ended in disappointment. She finished fourth of five in the Lancashire Oaks and wandered badly in the closing stages. Blinkers have been fitted this time.

Finding where the pace is going to come from could be crucial to understanding this puzzle given La Lune, who scored at Listed level when last seen at Nottingham, and the often-keen Wait For The Lord will also look to be dropped in early.

That may enable Salsada to take advantage up front. The three-time winner is yet to run over this 1m4f trip, but has improved for each of her six starts and recorded two victories last season after setting a steady early pace. Adopting similar tactics would yield her greatest chance of winning as she has 12lb to find on RPRs.
Race analysis by Tom Collins

Grounds for hope – or not

David Simcock knows all about Oriental Mystique's backstory as he was the one who saddled Madame Chiang to win the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in 2014.

That success came on deep ground – something Madame Chiang relished, but are conditions Oriental Mystique is not so fond of.

"She's in good order and was due to run at Sandown on Thursday night, but there was a change of plan," he said. "She's top-rated in the race and as long as the ground isn't too soft she should run well."

David Simcock: trainer won the Pinnacle in 2013Credit: Edward Whitaker

The Newmarket trainer, who won the Pinnacle with Moment in Time in 2013, added: "Things didn't really pan out for her last year and she raced on ground that wasn't quite right for her. Her last run at Goodwood is a truer reflection of her standard and hopefully that's good enough in this.

"She handles the soft side of good, but she's disappointed on very soft. I've trained her out of Madame Chiang and have the three-year-old [Rani Of Jhansi] and two-year-old [Ching Shih] out of her so I'm very lucky."

What they say

Roger Varian, trainer of Cabaletta
Hopefully she'll handle conditions and she's training very nicely at home. She found the trip a bit sharp at York on her last run and going back up to a mile and a half should suit her. We've put blinkers on for the first time to get her attention and she'll run very well if she puts her best foot forward.

Henry Candy, trainer of La Lune
We're heading for this race in the hope of some more black type but she'll hate the ground, so we're hoping we might get a place.

Jedd O'Keeffe, trainer of Salsada
We've been waiting for some give in the ground, which we should get all being well. The race should suit and we think the step up to a mile and a half is going to be right up her street. On ratings, she's got a bit to find with some of them but we think there's further improvement in her and she's improved from three to four. All through last year she kept improving and she's a very big filly, so the extra time will have helped her strengthen.
Reporting by James Burn

Read more on Saturday's racing:

Quinn could be mighty at Haydock again thanks to Safe Voyage and El Astronaute (Members' Club)

Beverley is set to get racy as thrilled Jilly Cooper bids for debut triumph (Members' Club)

'He's not reached his ceiling' – Jason Weaver's leading Saturday fancy (Members' Club)

2.00 Beverley: 'You couldn't back her after that first run but she's certainly got ability'

2.20 Haydock: 'There are no worries' – El Astronaute ready for launch again in Achilles Stakes

2.25 Punchestown: Willie Mullins holds strong claims with Bapaume and Bleu Berry

2.40 Chester: what is it about Boardman that impressed our handicappers so much?

3.10 Beverley: 'He's quite a nice animal' – Tipperary Sunset bids to live up to tall reputation

3.30 Haydock: Keith Melrose assesses who could prove a seven-furlong star in John of Gaunt (Members' Club)

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