'She looks the best filly in the race' - who's bullish about their chances?

Wednesday: 3.30 Salisbury
British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies' Stakes (Listed) | 1m2f | 3yo+ F&M | RTV

The Listed British Stallion Studs EBF Upavon Fillies’ Stakes has been dominated by the Classic generation in recent times, with three-year-olds taking four of the last five runnings, including in 2020 with this year’s leading Arc contender Alpinista.

The reputation of this season’s three-year-olds has taken a bit of a knock in recent weeks, however, and the older generation are responsible for the two clear top-rated runners in the race.

Climate, formerly trained by Jessica Harrington, is the likely favourite on her debut for John and Thady Gosden. Although she has managed to win only once in ten starts, the daughter of Australia has often acquitted herself well at Group level.

She was beaten just over a length on her reappearance in the 1m1f Group 2 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket in May, and stamina looked the main issue in her subsequent flop at Haydock when tried over 1m4f.

It has hardly been a vintage season for the Gosdens, but Climate holds strong claims of giving them a Listed success in what is her easiest task in some time.

The danger could come from the five-year-old mare Rose Of Kildare for Mark and Charlie Johnston, another father and son training combination.

Rose Of Kildare missed the whole of 2021 but has returned in good form, finishing second in a pair of 1m4f Listed races on the July course at Newmarket last month. Often a front-runner, dropping in trip will suit and she is likely to make Climate work.

Climate’s stablemate Morning Poem appears to be the three-year-old with the most potential to make it at this level. She is a strong traveller who bumped into a potential Group performer in Voodoo Queen on the July course last time, and she promises to be suited by the way this will be run.

Gatecrasher Girl and Rousay have had good seasons in handicaps but look set to come up short here with their marks in the mid-80s suggesting they have plenty to find with the principals.
Analysis by Mark Brown

What they say

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Climate and Morning Poem
Climate joined us a while ago and will be making her first start for us. She seems like a quality filly and has been pleasing in her work. She’s ready for a race and this looks a nice slot. Morning Poem has been running well at Newmarket of late and this looks a nice opportunity for some black type. She enjoys top of the ground.

Cieren Fallon, rider of Rose Of Kildare
She’s been running well without winning over further than this so hopefully this drop in trip will suit. She can be a handful going down so she'll find the short distance to the mile and a quarter start more in her favour. She looks the best filly in the race and I wouldn’t swap her.

Roger Varian, trainer of Kind Gesture
She’s a progressive filly who should enjoy going a mile and a quarter for the first time as she's bred for the trip. She ran respectably over a mile at Ascot last time and she should handle the ground. I'd say she goes there with nice chances of a place at least.
Reporting by David Milnes

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