Royal Ascot form could prove crucial as Maylandsea bids to bounce back

Friday: 3.10 Newbury
BetVictor St Hugh's Stakes (Listed)| 5f | 2yo fillies | RTV

The two fillies heading the early betting for the St Hugh's Stakes chased home Dramatised in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot but that form has taken a few knocks.

Race favourite Maylandsea provided one of those. She finished runner-up that day, but turned in a disappointing effort next time when upped to six furlongs for the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes.

Dropping back to the minimum trip will suit and the Racing Post Rating of 104 she recorded at the royal meeting equals the highest figure awarded to the winner of this race in the last decade.

If Maylandsea reproduces that form, she should take plenty of beating and is officially rated 10lb higher than her nearest rival.

Maylandsea pulled three and a half lengths clear of Katey Content in the Queen Mary and that filly also features prominently in the market.

Katey Content had an extra run behind her that day and there are no logical reasons the form should be reversed. A subsequent two-month absence is additional cause for concern.

Looking for alternatives at bigger prices feels the correct course of action and Terrimia, the twice-raced unbeaten daughter of Territories, is worth considering at a price.

However, there is more substance to the form of Funny Story. She defied greenness to comfortably land a 6f maiden at Newmarket last month from Ivory Madonna, who placed in the Albany Stakes before that and has subsequently finished a close fourth in the Sweet Solera at Newmarket.

Funny Story has the capacity to improve past those with greater experience in this field and showed plenty of speed at Newmarket, suggesting a drop to five furlongs will be perfectly suitable.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

What they say

Tim Palin, racing director for Middleham Park, owners of Maylandsea and Cuban Mistress
Maylandsea disappointed us a bit in the Duchess of Cambridge but it came to light that she had scoped dirty afterwards and she didn’t settle. Back over five furlongs and on her Queen Mary form, she’s got a favourite’s chance. She’s very well and on weights and measures she should take a bit of beating but we need to see her bounce back to form. Cuban Mistress has a bit to find but we would be delighted with a bit more black type. She was second in the Dragon Stakes and back to five furlongs, she’s got a chance if one or two of the main ones underperform.

Clive Cox, trainer of Katey Kontent
She won her first two and the Windsor run was a fast time and I thought she ran really well in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. She’s a nice filly with a lot of talent and we’ve given her a bit of time after Ascot. I'm hopeful she’s a progressive type.

Richard Hannon, trainer of Minnetonka and Miami Girl
Minnetonka was impressive on debut and I was impressed with her run in the Princess Margaret. She looked to get a bit tired late on where she’d been out in front and it looked like dropping back to five furlongs would suit her. We’ve been waiting for this race and it looks like a nice opportunity. Miami Girl is in good order but I’m not sure she’s going to run, we’ve got a race at Salisbury in mind.

David O’Meara, trainer of Star Of Lady M
She’s had a great season, she’s won four now. She put in another good run at Goodwood behind Richard Fahey’s good filly The Platinum Queen and she goes there in good form and with an each-way chance.
Reporting by Harry Wilson

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