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Running Lion Powers To Impressive Pretty Polly Triumph

Running Lion (GB) (Roaring Lion–Bella Nouf {GB}, by Dansili {GB}) improved off a debut fourth at Newmarket's July venue with wide-margin wins in one-mile heats at Lingfield and Chelmsford last term and opened this campaign with a decisive score on sophomore return at Kempton last month. Back on the turf for the first time since that first-up effort, she rewarded the race sponsor David Howden with a first win of the Guineas meet and provided the Gosden stable with a seventh triumph in this usually informative G1 Oaks pointer.

The 10-3 chance settled into a comfortable rhythm and raced in a midfield fifth through halfway. Powering forward to loom large on the bridle passing the quarter-mile marker, she was soon in splendid isolation and surged clear of toiling rivals on the final ascent to easily outclass the hitherto undefeated Sumo Sam (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) by 4 1/2 lengths.

“We brought her down here for a piece of work and Oisin [Murphy] said we should go for the Pretty Polly rather than the 1000 Guineas as she'll need the mile-and-a-quarter, so we've made the right decision,” said John Gosden. “It will be very interesting with this filly whether she's more a Prix de Diane or an Oaks filly. We've got more trials to come, there's the Musidora at York and the Newbury trial, so we'll see how it shapes up. The jockey's first reaction was to possibly stay at a mile-and-a-quarter and I'm always interested as to what they say when they come back straight away, not when they've had time to think. We'll give it a lot of thought and the idea would be to go to one of the Oaks, which one it is I don't know.”

Running Lion becomes the second black-type scorer for Bella Nouf (GB) (Dansili {GB}), whose first is G3 Sweet Solera S. victrix Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Bella Nouf is a dual-winning half-sister to three black-type performers headed by Listed Lyric S. victrix Nouriya (GB) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}), herself the dam of G2 Duke of Cambride S. heroine Aljazzi (GB) (Shamardal) and Listed John Musker Fillies' S. winner Majestic Noor (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Running Lion's third dam Shy Danceuse (Groom Dancer) is responsible for Listed Prix Occitanie winner Sweet Story (Ire) (Green Tune) and Listed Oppenheim-Rennen first Shy Lady (Fr) (Kaldoun {Fr}), the latter being the dam of five stakes scorers headed by G1 St. James's Palace S. hero and G1 2000 Guineas runner-up Zafeen (Fr) (Zafonic). Hailing from the family of GI Breeders' Cup Mile-winning sire Opening Verse (The Minstrel), the February-foaled grey is kin to the unraced 2-year-old colt Star Runner (GB) (Zoustar {Aus}) and a yearling colt by Kameko.

Sunday, Newmarket, Britain
HOWDEN PRETTY POLLY S.-Listed, £50,000, Newmarket, 5-7, 3yo, f, 10fT, 2:05.86, sf.
1–RUNNING LION (GB), 128, f, 3, by Roaring Lion
1st Dam: Bella Nouf (GB), by Dansili (GB)
2nd Dam: Majestic Sakeena (Ire), by King's Best
3rd Dam: Shy Danceuse, by Groom Dancer
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. O-David Howden; B-The Bella Nouf Partnership (GB); T-John & Thady Gosden; J-Oisin Murphy. £28,355. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-0, $61,547. *1/2 to Majestic Glory (GB) (Frankel {GB}), GSW-Eng.
2–Sumo Sam (GB), 128, f, 3, Nathaniel (Ire)–Seaduced (GB), by Lope De Vega (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Ben & Sir Martyn Arbib; B-Arbib Bloodstock Partnership (GB); T-Paul & Oliver Cole. £10,750.
3–Trust The Stars (Ire), 128, f, 3, Sea The Stars (Ire)–Son Macia (Ger), by Soldier Hollow (GB). (€140,000 Ylg '21 ARQDOY). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Valmont; B-S.Elektrowelt24 & Sunderland Holding Inc (IRE); T-Ralph Beckett. £5,380.
Margins: 4HF, 3 3/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.33, 7.50, 3.33.
Also Ran: Crackovia (GB), Queen Of Fairies (GB), Fantizzy (GB), Tarjamah (GB), Floating Spirit (GB), Joyful Act (GB). Scratched: Cloudbreaker (GB).

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Dubai Mile Put Through His Paces Over The Rowley Mile

Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) galloped over the Rowley Mile in Newmarket on Wednesday. The Ahmad Al Shaikh silksbearer is being primed for a possible start in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas over this course on May 6.

Trained by Charlie Johnston, the 3-year-old was originally pencilled in for the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dante S. at York in mid-May, but connections are weighing the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud hero's chances in the run-up to the G1 Betfred Derby on June 3.

“We've been having a debate internally all spring really regarding what is the best route for this horse,” said Johnston. “We're pretty confident his optimum trip this year will be a mile and a half plus and you can see in his work there that he's not travelling hard on the bridle behind the other horse. He's a very laid-back horse who is behind the bridle and his last furlong is his best furlong.

“But, having won a Group 1 as a 2-year-old, your route to the Derby is narrowed down quite dramatically. You either have to have to step down in grade or you have to go to the Guineas. From an early point it's been either Guineas-Derby or Dante-Derby. The way they're in the calendar this year running in all three is pretty unrealistic.

“I've spent most of the spring leaning on the side that he should be going Dante-Derby, but Ahmad is always keen to take on a challenge and take the ambitious route–and when you've got a Group 1-winning 2-year-old, the reality is winning the Dante is not going to add anything to this horse's stallion profile, whereas finishing third in the Guineas would be a big asset to him.”

The chestnut won at second asking over a mile at Windsor last August and added an all-weather mile contest at Kempton later that month. Second over the Guineas course and distance in the G2 Royal Lodge S. in September behind Thursday's G3 bet365 Craven S. entry The Foxes (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}), the son of Beach Bunny (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) thrived in the heavy going at Saint-Cloud in his top-level score a month later.

Johnston added, “We're all well aware that this horse is being trained and going to be campaigned as a top-class mile-and-a-half horse, it's just what we do in the early season to get him there.

“I'd love a soft ground Guineas, then he really would be a player because we know he handles testing conditions, and one asset you can never take for granted here is he's run over the course and distance. Danny says you don't even notice the dip on him, he just floats down it and out the other side. The Guineas is not a race you go into as a prep race, but if he was running in many ways it would be a prep race for the Derby.”

Also taking a spin over the course on Wednesday was the Charlie Hills-trained two-for-two Circero's Gift (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) with Kieran Shoemark at the controls. The Rosehill Racing-owned colt worked in company with stablemate Saratoga Gold (GB) (Mayson {GB}) under Michael Hills, however, his participation in the Newmarket Classic is not definite. He won both his Newbury debut last autumn, and a Wolverhampton all-weather affair on Mar. 30.

“He worked well and had a nice little blow afterwards as well actually, so it was just what we wanted I think,” said Hills. “He's obviously had two starts and two wins and we're just trying to feel our way really and see exactly where we are and find out a bit more about him. Today he behaved great, had a nice bit of work and did what we asked him.

“We didn't really want to run in a trial and put three quick races into him. It's going to be a long season, so we'll just try to keep him as fresh as we can.

“We'll see how the week unfolds with the trials and make a decision next week. There is a conditions race at Goodwood around the same weekend as the Guineas, so that could be another route to take, but I'm pretty open-minded at the moment.

“He's a nice horse and there's only one Guineas, isn't there? If we decide against it you've got Goodwood and the Dante at York and the [G3] Hampton Court [S.] at Royal Ascot, something like that. I think I could see him stepping him up in trip later in the year.”

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Half-Sister To Florida Derby Hero Materiality Primed For Kempton Debut

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday's Observations features a half-sister to GI Florida Derby hero Materiality (Afleet Alex).

18.00 Kempton, Nov, £7,900, 3yo, 10f 219y (AWT)
John Gunther's homebred FLOWERS (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a Ralph Beckett-trained daughter of GII Beaumont S. and GIII Saint Ysabl S. third Wildwood Flower (Langfuhr), is a half-sister to GI Florida Derby hero Materiality (Afleet Alex) and GI Kentucky Oaks and GI First Lady S. placegetter My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song). Her five rivals include Godolphin's Through The Ages (GB) (Golden Horn {GB}), a gelded half-brother to five black-type performers headed by three-time top-level victrix Wild Illusion (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) and GI Breeders' Cup Turf hero Yibir (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}); Qatar Racing's thrice-raced maiden Maasai Mara (GB) (Roaring Lion), who is a son of MGSW G1 Prix Saint-Alary, GI Jenny Wiley S. and GI Gamely S. runner-up Wekeela (Fr) (Hurricane Run {Ire}), representing the John and Thady Gosden stable; and Sir Alex Ferguson's Andrew Balding-trained homebred Hampden Park (GB) (Sea The Moon {Ger}), who is out of a full-sister to G1SW sire Querari (Ger) (Oasis Dream {GB}).

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November 27 Insights: Pletcher Unveils Well-Bred Quality Road Colt

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

12th-CD, $120k, Msw, 3yo/up, 7 1/2f, 6:24p.m. ET
Repole Stable, St. Elias Stable, and Woodford Racing LLC partner-up on this $500,000 KEESEP procurement in PATOU ROAD (Quality Road), who will be getting a late start to the races for his powerhouse connections. In the barn of Pletcher, who has had a notably great year with the ownership group, the colt is out of Patou (Ghostzapper), herself a half-sister to GSW Moulin de Mougin (Curlin)–the dam of GSP Spicer (Quality Road); GISP Vionnet (Street Sense)–dam of MG1SW Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy); GSP Bronson (Medaglia d'Oro); MSW Alexis Tangier (Tiznow); and is a full-sister to GSW Schiaparelli (Ghostzapper). The second dam Cambiocorsa (Avenue of Flags) is the full-sister to Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (still listed in 2009) hero California Flag. This is the extended female family of GI Preakness S. winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy). Patou Road has been making appearances on the work tab in a steady fashion, and the morning line has him listed at 8-1 for this unveiling. TJCIS PPs

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