bet365 Fillies' Mile |
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| Fillies Group 1, Newmarket 15:35 £500,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1  |
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1 Desert Flower 10/11F
2 January 7/2
3
Ballet Slippers
7 ran Distances: 5½l, ½l, 8l
Time: 1m 37.48s (slow by 1.48s)
Have we just seen the 1000 Guineas winner?
— Champions Series (@ChampionsSeries) October 11, 2024
The unbeaten Desert Flower blows away her rivals to win the @bet365 Fillies' Mile.
Could she be another Classic heroine for @WilliamBuickX and @godolphin pic.twitter.com/akQg8QPZ0l
Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten Night Of Thunder filly elevated her form to new heights in this Group One event, securing a dominant win.
After a somewhat less convincing victory in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster, Desert Flower faced stiff competition from Aidan O’Brien, who fielded three highly-rated fillies, with Ryan Moore opting to ride January, who had finished a length and a half behind Desert Flower at Town Moor.
As the field entered the dip and O’Brien’s Dreamy faded, three contenders remained: the Ballydoyle duo of Ballet Slippers and January, alongside Desert Flower, who momentarily appeared unbalanced. However, as they hit the rising ground, Desert Flower surged clear under William Buick’s guidance, storming to an impressive five-and-a-half-length victory as the 10-11 favorite, with January finishing second.
Appleby was full of praise for his filly, saying, “You couldn’t be more impressed. At Doncaster, with an unbeaten filly heading into the May Hill, everyone was expecting a ‘wow’ performance. She was harder to manage that day—William wasn’t sure what to expect, but once the race started, she switched off and ran perfectly.”
He continued, “Today she paraded beautifully, calm and composed, which is crucial at this level. This race will help her mature for the spring. She’s not one to stand out in morning gallops, but she finishes with ease, which always gives us confidence. The team was very optimistic heading into today, and she certainly delivered.”
Appleby also spoke of her potential growth over the winter, adding, “She’s already a big, scopey filly. If she puts on another 20 kilos over the winter, we’ll be thrilled. That’s her done for the year. I see no reason to step her up from a mile next season, though stretching to 10 furlongs could be possible. She’s a lovely horse to look forward to in the spring.”
Aidan O’Brien, reflecting on his runners, with Ballet Slippers finishing third and Dreamy fourth, said, “I’m delighted with how they all ran. They performed as we expected, and they’re three fillies to look forward to next year—they’re all Classic prospects.”
bet365 Fillies' Mile (Fillies' Group 1)
£500,000 guaranteed, 2yo only, 1m, Class 1
7 ran
Going: Good to Soft, Good in places
POS. (DRAW) DIST HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY SP
1 (2) Desert Flower 2 9-2 Charlie Appleby William Buick 10/11F
2 (6) 5½ January 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Ryan Moore 7/2
3 (5) ½ Ballet Slippers 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Wayne Lordan 14/1
4 (4) 8 Dreamy 2 9-2 A P O'Brien Tom Marquand 15/2
5 (1) 1¼ Tabiti 2 9-2 Ralph Beckett Rossa Ryan 11/2
6 (7) 1¼ Anna Swan 2 9-2 Sir Michael Stoute Richard Kingscote 33/1
7 (3) 3¼ California Dreamer 2 9-2 Adrian Murray David Egan 50/1
