'She goes there with a big shout' - analysis and key quotes for Doncaster's Listed race for fillies

Ralph Beckett’s yard continues in flying form, running at a 34 per cent strike-rate in recent weeks, and royal runner Treasure has to be of interest for the most successful trainer of the Gillies Fillies’ Stakes.

All four of Beckett’s previous winners were progressive three-year-olds and this filly could hardly have been more eyecatching in a Newmarket handicap last time, finishing off her race well from the rear, having had plenty on her plate passing the two-furlong pole. A return to softer conditions may also help having justified favouritism on heavy ground when making her debut at Nottingham.

Another who may appreciate a slower surface is Estrange, who went into plenty of notebooks after a wide-margin, soft-ground win in a valuable fillies’ maiden at Goodwood. Her subsequent Listed effort at Yarmouth is worth forgiving after she met some trouble in running on ground that was probably quicker than ideal.

Not much has gone right for likely favourite Danielle this season after her easy success on soft ground at Wetherby when making her turf debut. The daughter of Cracksman didn’t look at home on quicker ground in Lingfield’s Oaks trial and similar comment applies to her two subsequent Pattern-race defeats.

Seemingly saved for an autumn campaign, she was then balloted out of Champions’ Day having attracted market support throughout the week. However, back on a slower surface in a Newbury Group 3 last month, she posted her best effort to finish runner-up to heavy-ground specialist Max Vega.

She’s closely related to Ascot Gold Cup winning stablemate, Courage Mon Ami, but there have been signs that a shorter trip might be the way to go in defeats over 1m4f this season and dropping in class against her own sex could be a winning combination.
Analysis by Phill Anderson

What they say

Charlie Appleby, trainer of Diamond Rain
The ground at Ascot last time was too quick for her and we will see what she can do on softer ground. She has had a nice break and her preparation has gone well. We feel she will appreciate conditions here and should be a contender back in this company.

Kieran Shoemark, rider of Danielle
She’ll like the soft ground and the step back in trip will be a benefit as she found the testing mile and a half at Newbury last time just beyond her. She goes there with a big shout.

Chris Richardson, racing manager to Cheveley Park Stud, owners of Estrange
She rather got boxed in at Yarmouth last time from her inside draw and could never land a blow, but on reflection the ground was too quick for her. Hopefully, back on soft ground, we’ll see something like we saw at Goodwood previously, which was pretty exciting.

Philip Robinson, racing manager to Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum. owner of Lunar Eclipse
It’s a step up in class, but she should enjoy the ground and the trip, as she was doing all her best work at the finish over a mile at Newmarket last time.

David Egan, rider of Sinology
It’s a competitive race but she’s got blinkers on for the first time and hopefully she can get some black type.
Reporting by David Milnes

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