Highfield Princess (Fr) | Horse Racing Free Tips

Big Evs Supplemented to Nunthorpe Challenge

Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), winner of the Windsor Castle S. and later the G3 Jaeger Lecoultre Molecomb S., has been supplemented to the G1 Coolmore Wootton Bassett Nunthorpe S. at York on Friday with Andrea Atzeni set to ride. Jason Hart, who was onboard for those two victories, maintains his partnership with three-time Group 1 winner Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night of Thunder {Ire}). Big Evs will be the only 2-year-old in contention.

“It's [been] a long time since a two-year-old has won the Nunthorpe [Kingsgate Native, 2007]. So, yes, it's a big ask for him, but hopefully he's going there with a very good chance at the weights. Jason doesn't ride as he is on Highfield Princess. Andrea Atzeni rides,” said conditioner Mick Appleby. “He's in good order. He did a good piece of work this morning and he'll probably have one more piece of work on Wednesday. I'm delighted with him.”

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Azure Blue To Take On Highfield Princess In Nunthorpe

Azure Blue (Ire) (El Kabeir), who bested Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) in the G2 Duke Of York S. in May, will square off again with that multiple Group 1 winner in York's G1 Nunthorpe S. on Aug. 25, trainer Michael Dods confirmed on Friday.

A listed winner last October, the 4-year-old claimed the Listed Ellen Chaloner S. at Newmarket at the beginning of May before her group heroics. She was sixth in the G1 July Cup S. at Newmarket, but is reportedly doing well.

“At the moment we're thinking of going to York and the Nunthorpe,” said Dods, who has won the Knavesmire feature three times with Mecca's Angel (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) in 2015/2016 and Mabs Cross (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in 2018.

“We're pulling her back a furlong and it will be very competitive if the 2-year-olds come in and also Highfield Princess was so impressive at Goodwood.

“We had had a run and Highfield had not when we met before and she's obviously come on a lot from then. But it is the obvious race and at the moment the plan is to go there.”

The five-furlong Group 1 is new territory for the filly, who has raced at six furlongs or farther in every other start to date.

“We're travelling into the unknown,” Dods acknowledged. “They will go a hard gallop and hopefully she will be fine. We're looking forward to it and at the minute it is all systems go.”

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Night Of Thunder’s Highfield Princess Outclasses King George Rivals

John Quinn's stable star Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}–Pure Illusion {Ire}, by Danehill) took four starts to get rolling last year and provided symmetry to her profile with another post-Summer Solstice springboard in Friday's G2 King George Qatar S. at Goodwood.

Last term's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest, G1 Nunthorpe and G1 Flying Five heroine broke sharply from the traps and was under a firm grip in second as habitual pacesetter Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) led the way at a healthy clip. Cruising to the front on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, the 4-9 favourite was not for catching thereafter and powered clear under mild coaxing inside the final furlong to easily outclass White Lavender (Ire) (Heeraat {Ire}) by three lengths. Fellow outsider Raasel (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) lost out by a neck in a bobbing finish for the minor placings.

“Highfield Princess ran really well in the [G2] Duke Of York and maybe got a bit tired,” Quinn said. “At Royal Ascot, she was beaten just a length in the [G1] King's Stand and then, four days later in the [G1] Jubilee, she ran another fantastic race. We decided to give her a break, which we did last summer, and we were pleased with her at home. She is a 6-year-old mare and, fair dues to her, she has bounced back well. She is a top-class filly and we are delighted to have her. All she has done is improve for racing and gone from being a top-class handicapper to being the best sprinting filly in Europe, if not the world. I was very keen for her to get her head in front for herself and today will have done her a lot of good. Group 2 races are so hard to win as well, but she had run here two years ago in the [G3] Oak Tree and handled the track lovely, so we thought she'd handle the track. We thought maybe, just maybe, this might be easier than, for instance, the [G1] Maurice de Gheest which we decided to miss.”

Highfield Princess will now prepare for a defence of her Nunthorpe and Flying Five titles, according to Quinn. “The plan is to go back for the Nunthorpe in our back yard and she really loves The Curragh, so it'll be the Nunthorpe and then back to Ireland and we will see after that,” he revealed. “I had thought about going to Australia, but I am a little bit cooler on that now. We will stay in Europe and then possibly go to the Breeders' Cup. She is a very good filly to travel and the lads always say you wouldn't know she was in the horse box, which is very good.”

It was business as usual for rider Jason Hart, who added, “Highfield Princess was her usual self. She jumped well, travelled great, and was much the best. The Czech horse [Ponntos] gave me a lead and I was kind of hoping he would give me a lead for a bit further. I had to commit a furlong-and-a-half down and, on that dead ground, I thought it might blunt her turn of foot, but she has won well. I was keen to give her a race without really getting stuck in. She absolutely ran her heart out in those two races at Royal Ascot and it was nice to see her bounce back and get her head back in front and win by a bit of distance. She has always improved throughout the years and has got better with her racing.”

White Lavender's rider Clifford Lee was satisfied with the performance of the runner-up and envisages another crack at ParisLongchamp's G1 Prix de l'Abbaye later in the year. “I am delighted with the run and she travelled really well throughout the race. She picked up nicely going for the two-furlong pole and we were beaten by a very good horse. She was second in the Abbaye last year, giving a lot of weight away, and she would definitely go close in that sort of race. She's very consistent and tries very hard.”

Raasel's trainer Mick Appleby was delighted with his charge's effort, who finished unplaced over the same strip in Tuesday's Coral H., and reflected, “Raasel has run a blinder. I think, in a way, we probably wish we didn't run on Tuesday, but we still wouldn't have beaten the winner. We might have got second, possibly, and he has shown that he has still got it. The draw made a big difference, he was drawn in the middle and needs loads of cover. The other day he was drawn on the wing and he just does too much when he's got daylight. I am not sure yet where we are going to go next and we will probably give him a bit of a break now. He's had a hard week this week, so we will give him a few weeks and then look to see where we go from there.”

Pedigree Notes
Highfield Princess is the ninth of 10 foals and one of six scorers thrown by a multiple-winning daughter of G3 Princess Margaret S. victrix Saintly Speech (Southern Halo), herself a half-sister to G3 Prix du Calvados winner Woodland Melody (Woodman) and Listed Naruo Kinen-winning sire Maruka Diesis (Diesis {GB}). Saintly Speech is the second dam of G3 Park Express S. winner Chrysanthemum (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of G3 Sandown Classic Trial-winning sire Cunco (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Descendants of Woodland Melody include GII Las Vegas Marathon and GIII Greenwood Cup victor Cary Street (Smarty Jones). The May-foaled homebred bay is a half-sister to G2 July S. winner and G1 Middle Park S. third Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}).

Friday, Goodwood, Britain
KING GEORGE QATAR S.-G2, £300,000, Goodwood, 8-4, 3yo/up, 5fT, :58.92, g/s.
1–HIGHFIELD PRINCESS (FR), 127, m, 6, by Night Of Thunder (Ire)
1st Dam: Pure Illusion (Ire), by Danehill
2nd Dam: Saintly Speech, by Southern Halo
3rd Dam: Eloquent Minister, by Deputy Minister
(29,000gns RNA Ylg '18 TATDEY). O/B-Trainers House Enterprises Ltd (FR); T-John Quinn; J-Jason Hart. £170,130. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, Fr & Ire, 35-13-7-6, $1,875,821. *1/2 to Cardsharp (GB) (Lonhro {Aus}), GSW & G1SP-Eng, $355,619. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–White Lavender (Ire), 127, m, 5, Heeraat (Ire)–Goodnight And Joy (Ire), by Rip Van Winkle (Ire). O-Mrs Barbara M Keller; B-Paul McCartan (IRE); T-Karl Burke. £64,500.
3–Raasel (GB), 130, g, 6, Showcasing (GB)–Dubai Affair (GB), by Dubawi (Ire). (80,000gns Ylg '18 TAOCT; 10,000gns 3yo '20 TATHRA). O-The Horse Watchers; B-Bearstone Stud (GB); T-Michael Appleby. £32,280.
Margins: 3, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.44, 28.00, 22.00.
Also Ran: Makarova (GB), Kerdos (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Equality (GB), Nymphadora (GB), Silky Wilkie (Ire), Ladies Church (GB), Equilateral (GB).

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“Her Top Drawer Form Is Over Five Furlongs” – Highfield Princess Sets King George Standard

Last terms's sprinting revelation Highfield Princess (Fr) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) may have missed the target on her three outing so far in 2023, but a pure speed test on soft ground in Goodwood's G2 King George Qatar S. provides the ideal scenario for John Quinn's indomitable 6-year-old to get back on track on Friday. This was the time of the season that she grew wings last summer, rattling off a trio of Group 1 victories in the Prix Maurice de Gheest, Nunthorpe and Flying Five within the space of five weeks and her trainer is hoping she is blooming again despite the contrasting weather to last year.

Second in the G1 King's Stand S. and third in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. on ground that was probably a touch too lively at the Royal meeting, she is at or very near the same level as 12 months ago. “She ran mighty races and we were thrilled with her to be placed in two Group 1s in five days,” Quinn said. “Last year we gave her a mid-season break, which she did seem to enjoy, and we have done the same this year but instead of going to Deauville we decided to go to Goodwood. There are no easy group races over any distance, but we thought possibly that the Goodwood race might be slightly easier than the Prix Maurice de Gheest.”

“Another factor is that the Prix Maurice de Gheest is six and a half furlongs. She is very versatile, but her top drawer form is over five furlongs so we thought we'd go to Goodwood and then all being well roll onto York,” he added. “All being well after Goodwood, we go to York for the Nunthorpe and then we would hope to go back to Ireland for the Flying Five. We had possibly thought about going to Australia for the Everest, but we don't know. I wouldn't rule out the Breeders' Cup again and, after the Breeders' Cup, there is the big Hong Kong Sprint in December.”

Perhaps the biggest danger to an on-song Highfield Princess is last year's G2 Sapphire S. winner Ladies Church (GB) (Churchill {Ire}), whose last two efforts resulted in an authoritative win in the Listed Sole Power Sprint S. and a fourth in the latest edition of the Sapphire. Beaten all ends up there by Art Power (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), that is no disgrace as that Easterby marauder is seemingly unstoppable on his Irish raids and Mark Dobbin's filly probably still has upside.

Thoroughbred Stepping Stone For Nostrum

While there was talk of the G1 Sussex S. and G1 Prix Jacques le Marois after the smooth return win of TDN Rising Star Nostrum (GB) (Kingman {GB}) in Newmarket's Listed Sir Henry Cecil S. at the July Festival, it is to the G3 Thoroughbred S. that Juddmonte's exciting homebred goes on Friday. This soft ground is not his bag, but there is potentially a class gulf to the likes of fellow TDN Rising Stars Epictetus (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) and Knight (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) and OTI Racing's Britannia H. winner Docklands (GB) (Massaat {Ire}).

“Of course we gave the Sussex S. consideration, but Sir Michael rightly pointed out and the owners agreed, why go from second gear to fifth? Let's go through the gears, we're looking at longevity and we don't want to kill the horse off with one run,” Juddmonte's European racing manager Barry Mahon said. “We're all thinking about stallions and commerciality, but it didn't do Baaeed any harm. He got to where he needed to get and if we can get there, we'll be happy. Ground-wise I don't think we're too concerned–a bit of cut in the ground will be fine for him.”

Later on the card, the Haggas's veteran Hamish (GB) (Motivator {GB}) has perfect conditions for a sixth Group 3 success in the Glorious S., while the easy ground will probably also help George Strawbridge's filly Mimikyu (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) as she bids to revive the form of her G2 Park Hill S. in September.

Little Big Bear Added To Maurice de Gheest

TDN Rising Star Little Big Bear (Ire) (No Nay Never) has been supplemented for Sunday's G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest at Deauville. Last seen finishing down the field in the G1 July Cup, he was one of 13 still in the mix for the 6 1/2-furlong contest. “We'll decide finally a little bit closer to the weekend, but the plan at the moment is to run,” Aidan O'Brien said. “The ground is testing over there at the moment, but it can dry up. He'd had the problem before Newmarket but since then he has been fine, no problems.”

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