'She's progressed again' - high hopes Pearl can reverse form with Sea Silk Road

Friday: 2.25 Newmarket
Princess Royal Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Stakes (Group 3) | 1m4f | 3yo+ fillies & mares | ITV4/RTV

The weights favour Sea Silk Road as she aims to confirm Goodwood placings with Eternal Pearl, but Charlie Appleby believes his filly could prove a different proposition in this intriguing rematch.

Sea Silk Road beat Eternal Pearl by half a length in a 1m2f Listed race at Goodwood in May and the pair appear to be the leading protagonists again.

That came off level weights, but Eternal Pearl now has to give her rival 3lb after scoring at Group 3 level in the Prix Minerve at Deauville last month.

However, Eternal Pearl has overcome her errant ways by winning her last three starts since the hood was removed, and Appleby expects more improvement from the daughter of Frankel.

"We've been very pleased with Eternal Pearl this season and feel that she has progressed again since winning at Deauville," the trainer said. "She has a penalty for that success, but we're confident she can put up another good performance."

Sea Silk Road, rated 1lb inferior to Eternal Pearl on 108, has the best form on offer after finishing a half-length second to subsequent Irish Oaks winner Magical Lagoon in the Ribblesdale at Royal Ascot in June.

The William Haggas-trained three-year-old was fourth in last month's Prix de la Nonette when back down in trip after two months off.

She is fitted with a first-time tongue-tie here and Tom Marquand is back in the saddle after Mickael Barzalona deputised in France.

Marquand said: "She's got a really strong formline from Ascot and ran respectably in France off a slow pace in a race that probably wasn't run to suit."

The outcome of the race is likely to have a bearing on the ante-post betting for next month's Group 1 Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot, with Eternal Pearl and Sea Silk Road quoted at 10-1 and 14-1 respectively.

What they say

Hugo Palmer, trainer of Quenelle D'Or
She just needs some give in the ground, although not necessarily soft, but this summer it's been very hard to find those races. I'm very happy with her.

Karl Burke, trainer of Poptronic
We took a punt with her in the Yorkshire Oaks, but she didn't disgrace herself. Next year I think she'll be able to be in that class again, but she's already a proven Group 3 performer and is in good form.

Roger Varian: in-form trainer runs twoCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Roger Varian, trainer of Peripatetic and Voodoo Queen
They are both training nicely and have similar, progressive profiles. Voodoo Queen has particularly strong form at Newmarket and has won on both courses. She ran well in a warm Galtres Stakes last time. Peripatetic has been improving through the summer and won a fillies' handicap at Goodwood comfortably on her last start. They both deserve to be in a field like this.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Queen Of The Skies
She ran respectably after a break in the John Musker Stakes at Yarmouth last week and should be suited by the step up in trip.

James Fanshawe, trainer of Royal Scandal
She's a tall filly out of Seal Of Approval and won nicely on her two all-weather runs. It's a big step up on what she's been doing, but she's always looked a nice filly. There's some rain forecast and I hope it arrives for her.

Friday's race previews:

1.50 Newmarket: Can unlucky Zanbaq benefit from Roger Varian's sequence of success?

2.15 Listowel: Handicap blot? Willie Mullins' summer revelation chases €100,000 pot

3.00 Newmarket: The new Inspiral? Commissioning could prove Gosdens' latest star in Rockfel

3.35 Newmarket: 'He's well bred and now living up to that' - Tempus out to crack Group 2 company

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