First running of the Ascot Turf Distaff

Welcome to the preview for the first ever running of the Ascot Turf Distaff to be run over a mile and three quarters on a firm track.  This is a Grade III event, and sees a field of 12 runners line up after the prize pool of $125,000.

PP1 SHEZA MANIAC (MEDAGLIA D’ORO x CRYPTOCLEARANCE x HIS MAJESTY) willyam20 6/1
Lightly raced 5yo mare who lines up for her 18th career start here, coming off a disappointing result last time in the Katie’s Queen Handicap (listed stakes) where she was beaten solidly by a tough field.  Her best result came before that when she surprised in the Miami Turf Beach Stakes (Grade II) at 11/1 to burst through the full field of 14 from 10th position early to win going away by 1 3/4 lengths.  She had no impact on the yielding track 3 starts ago when 4th in an owner restricted stakes, but managed a best ever SP in the Grade II Sparkle Sho All Comers prior to that, where she ran home strongly to post a 107 and finish second.  Has gone over this journey just once before, for a second place in a stakes placing, beaten by over 3 lengths. Should bounce back after last start failure, and make her presence felt down the stretch.

PP2 RAGING RIVER CAT(STORM CAT x SILVER GHOST x RIVERMAN) siriusflit 8/1
Has made the transition up in class to stakes from allowances very comfortably, with her last 5 starts resulting in top 3 finishes, including 3 wins.  Her first 2 attempts were against small fields of 5, and she proved far too strong on both occasions, running away a convincing winner by 4 and 4 1/2 lengths respectively.  A truer test came 3 starts ago in the EAAA residency challenge over 2 miles against a field of 12.  However, she handled it with ease, making it 3 on the trot after sitting back and stalking the pace and then charging through to win by 3 1/2 lengths.  Stepped up to graded for the first time on that effort, and found it a little tougher, settling at the tail of the field of 6 and finishing strongly for a second placing, and last start was once again doing her best work in the stretch, when chased home 2 but couldn’t catch them in the Cryptodoor Challenge Stakes as the beaten favourite.  She rises in class again here, but rarely runs a bad race, and is certain to get the distance.  Shapes up as a nice chance.

PP3 RUDE STELLA(AUS) (DANEWIN(AUS) x SEATTLE SLEW x DEPUTY MINISTER) freeky 8/1
Bold front running veteran, who has racked up over half a million in prize money, and comes here after a career best SP of 101 last start in winning the Well The Fleets Memorial.  Before that, she was dropped back to an allowance for an easy win over 12 furlongs when she opened up a massive lead during the middle stages and ran the field of 7 off its feet.  Was placed third in the Grade I Adelaide Oaks as a 3yo but has not hit the board in a graded event since then.  Looks unbeatable in allowance races, having gone 3 from 3 since the beginning of 2007, and has been competitive against overnight stakes fields.  Is likely to set the tempo and is capable of an upset, after her last start effort.

PP4 HAMMER DROP(GB) (POWERSCOURT (GB) x CAERLEON x HAIL TO REASON) odin 6/1
Bred by stormborn2, she managed just 1 win for her first trainer in 12 starts, and was consequently dropped to a 30k claimer.  She started a short priced favourite and won by over 8 lengths, and in the process was picked up by the odin barn from the tees stables.  Has thrived for her new trainer, winning her first 3 in allowance company and running her best SP in the first of those, and bettering it at the next 2.  Went to the Queen Torrid Special following the third of those wins, having clocked up a 106 over 9.5f.  She got well back and made up over 13 lengths, but couldn’t close enough to finish on the board.  Last time out, she went to the back of the field again, but gave herself less ground to make up, but still fell short, finishing 4th once more.  Big test over the mile and three quarters in this field, but has come up very short in the morning line on the strong performances she’s had in her new stable.  Is bred to stay the trip and should be rocketing home again.

PP5 NO SWAN SONG(GB) (OPERA HOUSE(GB) x OUR EMBLEM x DAYJUR) emilyfarm 25/1
Gets her chance here at a graded start, and will be hoping to rise to the occasion, having been finding it somewhat difficult to win in the last couple of years.  Started her career in a blaze of glory, religated to a maiden claimer after just one start, she won comfortably and went on to put 6 more wins together in a row for her new trainer, part of the flstables empire.  Has been most consistent since then, managing high 80s/low 90s SPs, going over 10f plus.  Has 17 ITM finishes from 26 starts, and has been placed once in a listed stakes going an SP of 89.  Has won just one in the last 12 months, and that came 2 starts ago when she pushed clear well before the stretch and held on to record an emphatic victory by more than 4 lengths.  Failed to fire a shot last time out on the off track when beaten 28 lengths.  Should settle up close to the front runners and will hope to hang on, however looks a little out of her depth.

PP6 SISSON’S MINER(KY) (MINESHAFT x DANZIG x DOYOUN(IRE)) taztiger 5/1
Classy and versatile mare, who was a dual stakes winner and dual graded place getter as a 3yo on turf, but has missed the board just twice from 11 starts on dirt.  Had 4 tries on dirt to finish off her 3yo season and ran some impressive SPs but couldn’t break through for a win in any.  Switched back to turf again for the start of 2008, and sent to YTWODUBAI(GB) stakes over 11 furlongs, she settled at the tail of the 7 horse field and came from over 16 lengths from the leader to win, going away on the line to score by 4.  Backed that up last time out with another impressive stakes win, similarly, going right back to last and coming from over 17 lengths to just pinch victory on the wire by a half length over graded winner DYNAHIGH(IRE).  Despite having done her best work at the end of her last 2 races to win from a long way back, there is still a question mark over her getting the 14 furlongs here.  Will take some beating if she can run up to her last 2.

PP7 TILT A WHIRL(AUS) (SPINNING WORLD x UNFUWAIN x ELA-MANA-MOU(IRE)) losthecode 6/1
This talented, yet underachieving mare, finally broke through last start for just her third win, going around in Mississippi and charging home from last to score by 3 lengths, running an impressive SP of 105.  Was a similar story prior to that when she swooped home late to beat all but one on the off-track, and hit her career best SP of 106 in the Senorita Erica Memorial.  Failed over this distance 3 starts ago when didn’t fire a shot, finishing 9th in the Grade III Triage Distaff.  Has been placed 3 times over this distance, so that shouldn’t be a concern, however, her ability to always find one to beat her home is.  Last two starts have been first class though, and her breakthrough third win at the beginning of this month could signal a change in fortune.  Will settle back towards the rear of the field and most likely give them a big start, so will need some luck, but a repeat of her last run would see her well in for a well-deserved 4th career win.

PP8 MAADLY(TUR) (MANILA x BROAD BRUSH x BOLDNESIAN) claimace 9/1
Ultra consistent staying mare who has been unplaced at just 2 of her 13 career starts, with one of those being the Breeders Bowl Turf Distaff against the older fillies last year as a 3yo.  Has never managed to run a triple figure SP, but has 3 stakes wins to her name, and a second place in the Grade I World Cup Ladies Turf Survivor over 16 furlongs.  Last time out she was well beaten when third in the Grade III Ascot Ladies Marathon Stakes, starting her run from just in front of RAGING RIVER CAT, and finishing more than 10 lengths in arears.  2 starts ago she chased home the same rival, but got within 4 lengths, once again finishing third.  Ran away a convincing winner before that in a race without her nemesis.  Still has plenty of improvement left in her and would not surprise to see her finally top a 100 SP here, but will need to find some improvement to turn the tables on the mare going from post 2.

PP9 WESTERN PASS (PIKEPASS x A.P. INDY x MAJESTIC LIGHT) bomber93 12/1
Has been racing in some very tough company, which may explain her slight dip in form, having not won in her last 8 starts.  Once again, finds herself coming up against a hard field to contend with, and will need to find some improvement if she is going to match it with them here.  Battled hard last time out when third in the Our Dance Stakes, running a 92 SP.  Despite having a good record on the off tracks, she threw in a clunker 2 starts ago when she beat just one home over 2 miles in the Grade III Queen of Victoria Stakes.  Finished off last season with a pair of fading runs in graded stakes, the latter of which she still managed to grab a share of the purse with a third place, despite being beaten by 13 lengths.  Her last win came in the middle of last year, when she came home from last and hit the front just in time for a 1/4 length win in the Grade II Sour Kraut Cup.  Will need to regain that form to find the winner’s circle this week, otherwise, a place looks best.

PP10 BOLD BULLET(FL) (RED BULLET x WITH APPROVAL x BOLD RUCKUS) vicki 20/1
Starting from March last year, she was placed in the top 3 for 8 consecutive starts on turf in a mix of MSW, restricted allowances and high tag claimers, finishing that run off with an impressive win in a NW1x in October last year.  Was tried in a stakes at her next start and the run of good form continued in even more impressive style, with her first stakes run, and first time on an off-track resulting in an emphatic 4 1/4 length victory.  Went up another step following on from that when entered into the Grade II The One For Momma Stakes.  Found that a lot tougher and struggled throughout, beating just one home and ended up nearly 30 lengths from the winner at the wire.  Returned to the track after more than 2 months rest and in a change of tatic, she bounced out of the gates and after an early speed duel with SATIN SMOOTH, she pulled away to win by 2 lengths.  Recent stakes wins have been a good sign, but her best SP is only 95.  Loves the marathon distances, but may need to find something extra to avoid a repeat of her failure 2 starts ago.

PP11 GRAND TEMPTATION(IRE) (GRANDERA (IRE) x SADLER’S WELLS x GONE WEST) stayirish 9/1
Unpredictable runner, who has mixed form of late.  Most recently, she disappointed when faded in the stretch to finish third, passing a few strugglers on her way to a third placing, running an SP of 90.  The shrewd Eirann shady business farms managed to find a very weak stakes field of 4 runners 2 starts ago, which she easily accounted for by over 4 lengths.  Raced like a superstar 3 starts ago, in winning the Talented Machine Stakes over 11 furlongs.  Settling worse than midfield and steadily building up to win by 1 1/2 lengths and notching an SP 107.  Her only other start that saw her break three figures was when she pulled out a similar superstar effort to win the Oaks De Danish in impressive style by 3 1/4 lengths.  Faces tougher opposition here than she did at her last start, but if she’s in superstar mode, she has the potential to make this field look second rate. 

PP12 SATIN SMOOTH (SMARTY JONES x MR. PROSPECTOR x DANZIG) farm304 8/1
The 14th ranked mare in the long turf division will go from the outside gate, and comes here off a total clunker, ending a 9 race winning streak.  Had a fair start to her career running in dirt sprints, but finally found her niche when stepped up in distance and switched to the lawn, she impressed when winning her first attempt over a mile on turf at 15/1.  3 starts later, she saluted again, when stepped up to 10 furlongs, which began her unbeatable period of almost 12 months.  Usually happy to sit off the speed and make her run at the leaders entering the stretch, the lack of pace last time out really bamboozled her, and she found herself battling for the lead.  The uncomfortable running position can probably be blamed for the winning streak finally ending, and with some genuine pace on here, she should be back to her best.  Included in her winning streak were 5 stakes wins, and 1 Grade II, so she is the real deal, with a career best SP of 104 over 13 furlongs.  Look for her to bounce back with top jockey P Harzheim on board.

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