Isa Salman & Abdulla Al Khalifa's Commissioning (GB) announced herself as one of the best 2-year-old fillies in Europe when storming clear in the Al Basti Equiworld, Dubai Rockfel Stakes (G2) at Newmarket's Rowley Mile course.
The 2 ¾-length victory secures Commissioning a guaranteed starting position in the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) as part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win And You're In.
The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 82 stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which will be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 4-5.
Settled in mid-division in the early stages under Rab Havlin, Commissioning swept to the front with 2 furlongs to go, landing the victory in impressive style in only her second career start.
The winner was chased home by trainer Karl Burke's Electric Eyes (IRE), another relatively inexperienced filly in the field, with Rage Of Bamby (IRE), trained by Eve Johnson-Houghton, 1 ¼-lengths back in third.
Reflecting post-race Rab Havlin believes a step up to a mile will be no problem for the John & Thady Gosden-trained 2-year-old, who following her victory, was made the favorite for the bet365 Fillies' Mile (G1) back at the same course in two-weeks' time.
“She traveled lovely,” said Havlin. “She was behind the bridle nearly the whole way. Between the 3 and the 2 [furlong mark] I had to wake her up and I almost was in trouble of getting there too soon. I could then afford myself a little sit at the 2 pole and then when she picked up again it was immediate, and it got a little bit lonely in front. She will stay a mile no problem.”
Joint trainer, Thady Godsen, added: “She only had her first start over the other side in the July Course, and she won that nicely, but the form wasn't massively strong behind her. Stepping up into this you had to find out what she would be like, and she did well here today.
“As you can see, she's got a big frame on her, but it's not filled all the way out. We will see how she recovers from the race tomorrow and probably come back here in two weeks. Beyond that, we'll have to see.”
Commissioning, a bay daughter of Kingman (GB) out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Sovereign Parade (IRE), completed the 7-furlong contest in 1:24:40 over a course listed as good.
As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Commissioning to start in the US$1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, which will be run at 1 mile over the turf course at Keeneland. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the Championships' pre-entry deadline of Oct. 24 to receive the rewards.
The post Commissioning Storms To Victory In ‘Win And You’re In’ Rockfel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
