It's Classic contenders to the fore in Friday's bet365 Fillies' Mile.
The mile Group 1 has been used as a springboard to 1,000 Guineas success by Desert Flower and Minding across the last decade, while the likes of Inspiral and Precise have gone on to became multiple winners at the very top level.
This race regularly throws up a really high-class filly and the lineup this year suggests more of the same.
Donning the colours of 2024 winner Desert Flower, Charlie Appleby saddles unbeaten juvenile Musical Times (8/15) in an attempt to emulate her stable and owner-mate.
She was successful in novice company both here at Newmarket, then at Yarmouth, before stepping up in class in the May Hill at Doncaster last month. The daughter of Lope De Vega produced arguably the best two-year-old performance by a British horse this season, coming some seven-and-a-half-lengths clear of her rivals to score unchallenged. That earned her short-priced favouritism for this race and, if she can improve further, may prove very hard to beat.
She is, however, one of three unbeaten fillies in the race, with Forbidden Fire (11/1) also arriving here with a couple of '1s' next to her name.
Andrew Balding's challenger also made the successful step up to Pattern company at Doncaster, beating the boys in the Flying Scotsman. She had a brace of Godolphin runners behind her that day in Rock Montreal and Nabati and will be having just her third start on Friday afternoon. Closely related to numerous smart performers; further improvement is expected.
Lex Victoria (14/1) is the last of the unbeaten triumvirate and possibly has the most to prove. Unlike the previous duo, she is yet to win at Pattern level, instead doing her winning in Novice company. Victories at Newmarket and Kempton came with plenty of promise and connections have opted to throw her into deep waters here.
Although she has been beaten twice in her career, experience will be on the side of Rogue Passion (4/1), who is having her fifth start on Friday. Defeated at Catterick and Carlisle on her first two starts, she got off the mark at the third time of asking before winning a Group 2 at Longchamp on her most recent outing.
Back in second that day was Amusingly; form that could not have worked out any better after she landed the Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere last weekend.
bet365 Fillies' Mile confirmed runners
- Musical Times
- Rogue Passion
- Forbidden Fire
- Lex Victoria
- Haven
- Dancing Destiny
- Exceptionally
- Scommessa Sicura
bet365 Fillies' Mile betting odds
(Odds will display when market is available)
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
