Group form should be the key to landing a vintage Fred Darling

2.10 Newbury
Dubai Duty Free Stakes (Registered As The Fred Darling Stakes) (Group 3) | 7f | 3yo fillies | RTV/ITV

This might just prove a vintage running of this Group 3 because there are 17 runners lining up, including Group 1 winner Alcohol Free and several others who have won Pattern races.

There have been eight runnings of this race at Newbury in the last ten years – the 2016 contest was on the all-weather at Chelmsford and last year's was cancelled because of Covid-19 – and two of the nine runners to have competed in Group 1s on their latest start were successful.

However, both of those winners, Rimth in 2011 and Maureen in 2013, were beaten in the Cheveley Park, while two winners of that race, Rosdhu Queen (2013) and Tiggy Wiggy (2015), were turned over at short prices in this event – Rosdhu Queen 7-4 and Tiggy Wiggy 11-10.

Last year's Cheveley Park winner Alcohol Free won't be anywhere near that short because this is more competitive than those races, but recent history suggests that something might improve past her and it is likely that it will be one of those she beat at Newmarket last time.

Alcohol Free (centre) beats Miss Amulet (right) and Umm Kulthum (left)Credit: Edward Whitaker

There is no shortage of those vanquished rivals lining up either. Umm Kulthum (third), Happy Romance (fourth), Dandalla (fifth) and Illykato (sixth) all renew rivalry with Alcohol Free, and the fact they all ran over 6f last time should also be considered a positive.

Four of the last eight Newbury winners had competed over shorter than 7f on their latest start and a further four had run over this far. Not one was dropping back in trip so Isabella Giles, who was last seen in the Fillies' Mile at Newmarket, bids to buck the trends.

One final point that is worth making is experience has been key, and once-raced winners Wild Iris, Zaajirah and Vadream might have their work cut out. Only Moonstone Magic (2012) has won this race on the back of just one single outing and 17 have tried since the start of 2006.
Analysis by Graeme Rodway

What they say

Oisin Murphy, rider of Alcohol Free
I've sat on her plenty this spring and she seems in good shape. She's ready to start off, although she'll improve for the run fitness wise. She's grown and seems in really good order. We are open-minded about her stamina for the Guineas, but we'll learn plenty here. She's very chilled out in behind at home, and if she relaxes she'll give herself every chance.

William Haggas, trainer of Aunty Bridy
She's a new recruit. She's clearly got ability and she looks great, but she hasn't been working well so this is very much a fact-finding mission. I think she'll want further, but we need to get started.

Karl Burke, trainer of Dandalla
Last year she was never really moving great after she had won at Royal Ascot – even when she won the Group 2 at Newmarket – and we were only 80 per cent happy going into the Cheveley Park. She had a good rest afterwards and she's moved brilliantly all winter. This will tell us where we go with her for the rest of the season, but she's fairly fit and looks fantastic so I'm hopeful she can run a big race.

Karl Burke is hopeful for a big run from his Royal Ascot-winning filly DandallaCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Richard Hannon, trainer of Happy Romance
I never thought Happy Romance was just a two-year-old and I’ve always thought she'd be even better at three. All her work at home suggests that she's trained on and retains all her ability. She's very relaxed and doesn't pull so I think she'll get a mile standing on her head. There's nothing difficult about her and I couldn't be happier so she ought to have an excellent chance, I'd hope.

Clive Cox, trainer of Isabella Giles
She's wintered really well, which is great after such a pleasing two-year-old campaign when she won the Prestige and the Rockfel. She's got a lot of form on softer ground, but she's shown form on a drier surface too and her work on that sort of ground has been pleasing, so I hope conditions are suitable.

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Liberated Lady
This has been the aim since she won her maiden. Her work on turf has been very pleasing and I'm looking forward to it. She's a nice filly with a lovely pedigree. This will tell us an awful lot about where we are going with her.

Roger Charlton, trainer of Lucid Dreamer
She's won over seven furlongs on the course and she's in good form, but it's very competitive and we just hope she runs well and helps us decide where she goes next.

Lucid Dreamer: steps up in class after two straightforward winsCredit: Alan Crowhurst

John Gosden, joint-trainer of Miss Finland and Wild Iris
It's very difficult to find races in which to run fillies like this, who have just won one race, but Newbury's straight seven furlongs is a nice place for them. It will be a first time on turf for Wild Iris and I expect her to come on greatly for the race. She'll need a step up in trip before long. Miss Finland won on her second outing. This will be a tough race for her, but we are keen to get her back on the track and the race will tell us where to go with her.

Paul Hanagan, rider of Umm Kulthum
Things didn't go right for her in the Cheveley Park as she was drawn out wide and was stuck on the wing in a race in which they didn't go a great pace, so she did well to finish a close third. It's a good Fred Darling, but we are very happy with her at home.

Charlie Fellowes, trainer of Vadream
She's naturally a very quick filly. She'd been working very well last year before her debut and I loved the way she won that day. She's got to take a big step forward because this is a hot Fred Darling, but I think this is the right starting place. We've always thought a huge amount of her and we need to know whether she's a sprinter or whether she might get a bit further. Through the spring her work has given me hope she might get a mile.

Roger Varian, trainer of Zaajirah
She's a promising filly who won nicely on her only start and has progressed in her work through the spring. This will bring her forward and she probably wants a mile, so this might be a bit sharp for her, but we like her quite a lot and we'll learn plenty.
Reporting by Graham Dench

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