The Post Script: ranking Aidan O'Brien's juvenile fillies - with Lake Victoria pipped to top spot
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This week's Post Script was written by Raceday Editor Ron Wood.
My top ten Aidan O'Brien two-year-old fillies
Lake Victoria is the latest Aidan O'Brien filly to have a turn as 1,000 Guineas favourite following her Cheveley Park win at Newmarket on Saturday. But the best-priced 7-2 on offer makes for a shocker of a bet this far out.
The fillies' division is particularly strong at the moment and, as good as she is, it's still unclear whether Lake Victoria is even the best in her yard, never mind that O'Brien hasn't won the race for the last three years. Consider as well there have been only three winning favourites in the 1,000 Guineas this millennium.
It's also been a few years since O'Brien won the 2,000 Guineas - his last success in the colts' race came in 2019 - so the Newmarket Classics don't seem high on the priority list at Ballydoyle nowadays.
All that said, with so many promising types to choose from, maybe they'll have a proper go at it again next season and now seems like a good time to take stock of the O'Brien fillies. At this stage of their careers, the ratings only tell us so much so here's my top ten - with a view to the 1,000 Guineas - in descending order:
10. Ballet Slippers
Racing Post Rating 92
Dubawi - Magical (Galileo)
The first foal of a seven-time 1m2f-1m4f Group 1 winner for the same connections; made all in a mile Ascot novice on her third start and that form was boosted when the runner-up won at Haydock on Saturday; potential to keep getting better.
9. Heavens Gate
RPR 101
Churchill - Itqaan (Danzig)
Already had seven starts; third behind Fairy Godmother at Royal Ascot but improved for a step up to 7f when winning the Group 3 Weld Park at the Curragh on Sunday; can probably go on improving and she's a likely type for the Breeders' Cup (the similarly heavily raced Content was unplaced in last season's Weld Park but wound up finishing fourth at the Breeders' Cup and won this year's Yorkshire Oaks).
8. January
RPR 101
Kingman - I Can Fly (Fastnet Rock)
Big filly who improved when second to Charlie Appleby's promising Desert Flower in the mile Group 2 May Hill at Doncaster.
7. Bubbling
RPR 104
No Nay Never - Lumiere Noire (Dashing Blade)
May foal; sister to connections' Wichita, who was second in the 2,000 Guineas; improved to win Friday's 7f Group 2 Rockfel at Newmarket.
6. Ecstatic
RPR 94
Lord Kanaloa - Magic Wand (Galileo)
Never mind the 1,000 Guineas, this filly has to go in your tracker for wherever she runs next; weak in the market when fifth in the May Hill but was the pick of Ryan Moore over runner-up January and didn't run badly after stumbling out of the stalls; non-runner in Friday's Rockfel but initially picked by Moore again, this time over the winner Bubbling; probably going to improve loads.
5. Giselle
RPR 85
Frankel - Newspaperofrecord (Lope De Vega)
Off since finishing second in a Leopardstown maiden in June on her debut but was odds-on to beat Bedtime Story that day; has an exceptional pedigree, being out of a Breeders' Cup winner; fascinating to see what she can do when she reappears.
4. Exactly
RPR 106
Frankel - Heartache (Kyllachy)
Has just a 1-5 record (twice no match for Bedtime Story) and might be quirky, but shaped better than the result when third behind Lake Victoria in the Moyglare on her most recent start, moving too soon into a hot pace.
3. Fairy Godmother
RPR 109
Night Of Thunder - Scintilating (Siyouni)
Overcame all sorts of trouble to win the 6f Group 3 Albany at Royal Ascot and was Guineas favourite; runner-up Simmering (second in the Moyglare) and third-placed Heavens Gate have upheld that form, although this filly has been off since and is reportedly done for the season.
2. Lake Victoria
RPR 116
Frankel - Quiet Reflection (Showcasing)
Out of a 6f Group 1 winner and has won all four races; came from off a strong pace to win a good running of the 7f Group 1 Moyglare at the Curragh and won Saturday's 6f Group 1 Cheveley Park at Newmarket under a forward ride; could also go for the Fillies' Mile, so she looks a 'now' filly; also worth remembering that, after the Moyglare, Aidan O'Brien said "we thought she'd be second to the other filly…"
1. Bedtime Story
RPR 110
Frankel - Mecca's Angel (Dark Angel)
'The other filly'; too headstrong in the Moyglare, going off fast and fading to finish last, and was reportedly lame after the race; had been brilliant in the Chesham at Royal Ascot, after which she was made Guineas favourite, and nothing wrong with her next two wins in muddling races; double-figure prices across the board for the Guineas now but could still be the pick of the bunch.
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Winter still the standout colt - for now
There's still a standout in the two-year-old colts' division - The Lion In Winter - and it's a shame he missed an intended engagement at the Curragh on Saturday, reportedly owing to a bruised foot. But even without leaving Ballydoyle, The Lion In Winter shortened up for the 2,000 Guineas, as the second and fourth from his Acomb win at York landed Group races at Newmarket last week.
There's talk of the Dewhurst now for the Lion In Winter. However, he's going to want further than 7f before long and it won't be ideal stepping up to Group 1 level off an interrupted preparation.
There are some lightly raced types with potential who could step up, be it in the Dewhurst or this weekend's Lagardere at Longchamp, and it's also worth taking a closer look at the Acomb runner-up Wimbledon Hawkeye. He advanced his form when landing Saturday's Royal Lodge at Newmarket, travelling strongly deep into a well-run race yet still looking green in the closing stages. There's talk of the Derby for him, but he's not sure to get 1m4f and before then he has to be considered a Guineas contender.
Royal Lodge second Royal Playwright was giving a boost of sorts to Solario winner Field Of Gold, having finished third behind the John and Thady Gosden runner in the Sandown Group 3.
Also at Newmarket on Saturday, Shadow Of Light won a weak running of the Middle Park by four lengths. But it sounds like he'll be aimed at the Commonwealth Cup, rather than the Guineas.
Today's nap
Empowered Queen 6.00 Newcastle
A £60,000 breeze-up purchase, this daughter of Mehmas is potentially better than she’s shown in three runs and has been given a chance by the handicapper off an opening mark of 62.
The selection made her debut on the all-weather at Lingfield and shaped with more promise than the bare form suggests, having started slowly, run green and been trapped wide turning in. A keeping-on sixth of eight at Goodwood next time, she then fluffed the start at Windsor and was never involved.
However, tonight’s opposition looks moderate and this appears a good bit of placing by Ollie Sangster, who struck with his only previous runner at this venue.
Marcus Buckland
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The team finished second in the 2022 Racing Post naps competition, third in the 2022-23 season and third again in the latest edition which finished at the end of April.
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