Chil Chil may be a Group 1-placed sprinter but she still has questions to answer

Sunday: 3.00 Pontefract
EBF Stallions Highfield Farm Flying Fillies' Stakes (Listed) | 6f | 3yo+ fillies and mares | RTV

Last September Chil Chil finished third in a Group 1 at Haydock, but less than 12 months on she arrives at Pontefract with questions to answer in Listed company.

Her trajectory as a five-year-old went only in one direction, with a handicap success at Newmarket followed by a Group 3 breakthrough at Newcastle, then increasingly useful efforts at the top table – ninth in the July Cup, fifth in the Nunthorpe and third in the Sprint Cup.

A return to that career-best third (Racing Post Rating 114) would make her hard to beat, but she reappeared as a six-year-old with an eighth in the Hackwood (has run well fresh before).

Her subsequent 11th in the Stewards’ Cup can be excused as she featured in the far side group when those drawn high up the stands’ side dominated.

So there are questions to answer, but it’s interesting she has a new jockey in Ben Curtis. Andrew Balding has teamed up with the rider nine times for two wins and a handful of placed efforts.

It could be a shrewd move as Curtis shares the title of top Pontefract performer with Danny Tudhope over the last five years with 34 winners apiece.

Gale Force Maya is by far the nearest to Chil Chil on form. Her handicap win at York last time was a narrow best performance on RPRs (112) and she also has excellent course-and-distance form figures of 1221. She looks a big danger.

One final thing to mention is a likely decent gallop. It often pays to be prominent over this specific test and Barbanera, Favourite Child, Gale Force Maya and Princess Shabnam all like to be handy.
Analysis by Matt Butler

What they say

Michael Dods, trainer of Gale Force Maya
She's very consistent but never has an easy race as she's always there at the finish. She's still in very good form and doesn't mind fast ground. She has a good chance on the figures and should run a big race.

Harry Dunlop, trainer of Adaay In Asia
She’s had a good season and has taken another hike in the weights after her win at Ascot last weekend. This is tough but it makes sense to try to get some black type. We did have her in at York but this looks more suitable.

Richard Fahey, trainer of Barbanera
It should suit her dropping back to six furlongs. If she ran as well as she did at Newbury in April, she would have a good chance, but I'm concerned by her high draw.

Karl Burke, trainer of Favourite Child and Honey Sweet
The idea is to try to get some black type and they are in good form. Favourite Child has already won here but there's not much to choose between them.

Sean Woods, trainer of Princess Shabnam
She’s run well at Chester in her last two races. This is a very different track but she's versatile and it shouldn’t be a problem. She has a bit to find on the figures but has a good relationship with her jockey Nicola Currie.

Hilal Kobeissi, trainer of Rolling The Dice
It's right to bring her back in trip as she didn't stay the mile at Ascot. We have been throwing her in at the deep end as she's not a Group 1 filly and this race should suit her much better. She's got plenty of speed and this is a stiff track, so the six furlongs should be fine.
Reporting by Michael Robson

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