Queen Mary runner-up out to deliver breakthrough Listed victory for Charlie Clover in St Hugh's Stakes

The downward trend in British sprinting is evident in the St Hugh's Stakes. The average Racing Post Rating awarded to the winner of this race was pushing three figures in the seven runnings from 2015-2022. In the past three, the winner has averaged an RPR of just 92.

Flowerhead is the only filly in this field who has reached that sort of level. She ran to an RPR of 97 when filling the runner-up position in the Queen Mary behind Aidan O'Brien's leading juvenile filly True Love at odds of 100-1.

While failing to reach that level on her next start when fifth over an extra furlong in the Princess Margaret Stakes back at Ascot, Flowerhead proved the Queen Mary effort was no flash in the pan. Her chance of delivering trainer Charlie Clover a first Listed success hinges on her ability to overcome a return to the minimum distance and a potentially tricky draw on a wing in stall 14.

There is some guesswork involved regarding identifying who Flowerhead's biggest dangers are. Entailed was considered when early prices opened, but that's perhaps more to do with her connections rather than the substance of her form.

Palmeira has arguably achieved more for Eve Johnson Houghton, who is enjoying an outstanding season with her juveniles. This filly was a slow-burner earlier in the campaign, but showed significant improvement in a first-time tongue-tie and cheekpieces when fourth in the Alice Keppel at Glorious Goodwood last time behind Nunthorpe-bound winner Spicy Marg, having been hampered at the start.

The time of the Alice Keppel was strong relative to the Group 3 Molecomb earlier on that card (winner Lady Iman is also gunning for the York Group 1), and Palmeira finished out her race strongly.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

Clover to consider Lowther if Flowerhead blossoms

Trainer Charlie Clover is determined to earn some black type with Queen Mary runner-up Flowerhead, who heads a strong 13-runner field for this competitive Listed contest.

Second to True Love at the royal meeting at 100-1, the two-year-old daughter of Starman finished fifth in the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes and drops back to five furlongs and into Listed company for the first time.

Clover said: "Her prep since Ascot has been perfect and she seems to be in great form. I'm yet to decide on her trip preference, but a lot of it is ground dependent and how the race is run."

Flowerhead: chased home True Love in the Queen MaryCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The Amo-owned filly is likely to also be confirmed for the Group 2 Lowther Stakes at York on Thursday, but her participation hinges on her performance at Newbury.

Clover added: "I'll probably confirm her for the Lowther. If she was to go and win very impressively at Newbury and come out of it all guns blazing at home then we’d consider backing her up for York."

Going report

The ground was described as good to firm, good in places on Thursday, with temperatures expected to reach almost 30C at the track on raceday.

Clerk of the course George Hill said: "We're finishing off some watering, we're putting between 6-10mm down as the weather is looking to be around 29C tomorrow. It's going to be a warm afternoon, so the water we put down will hold it as we are for tomorrow."

What they say

James Tate, trainer of Daneh Of Dandy
She was impressive and green on her debut and then we tried her in the Princess Margaret, but she was a bit keen early on so we thought six furlongs at Ascot was too stiff. She was good back at Thirsk and fingers crossed she can get some black type. She looked very fast, so she acts over five furlongs on fast ground. Everything should be up her street.

Chris Richardson, racing manager to Cheveley Park, owners of Entailed
We're slightly throwing her in the deep end, but she won impressively at Sandown last time and this will be her third start. There weren't too many options over five furlongs in the next three weeks, so we thought we'd put her in. It's highly competitive and she might be out of her depth, but at least we'll know more about where we go next.

Rod Millman, trainer of Killavia
She's doing very well. She's been very progressive all season and ran a nice race when third in the Dragon Stakes before winning at Sandown last time. We're going into it full of hope.
Reporting by Liam Headd

Three things to note on Friday

1. Following his Shergar Cup success, leading Indian jockey Suraj Narredu continues his British adventure with his first ride since Ascot in the closing 6f handicap (8.00) at Newmarket’s July course. Narredu, who led Asia to victory in the points-based team competition and produced what many hailed as the ride of the meeting on Fireblade in the stayers’ race, will be high on confidence as he partners Kitty Bennet on her stable debut for Royston trainer Stephanie Cassidy.

It’s a tall order, though, for a jockey with nearly 2,500 winners in his home nation, as the four-year-old filly returns from just shy of a year off the track. She showed flashes of promise for Ed Walker as a juvenile but was well beaten on her sole run for her next yard last time. She’s likely to go off at a big price on her comeback.

Kitty Bennet20:00 Newmarket (July)

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Jky: Suraj Narredu Tnr: Stephanie Cassidy

2. A couple of potentially smart two-year-olds are set to dominate the market for Newbury’s 6f fillies’ novice (3.40), with Butterfly Beach and Likeness reappearing after being beaten favourites on their respective debuts. The Lady Bamford-owned Butterfly Beach, a 470,000gns yearling, showed promise when finishing second at Newmarket and holds an entry in the Cheveley Park Stakes. Likeness, third at Kempton last month for Highclere, is also clearly well regarded, boasting a pair of Group 2 entries. Don’t discount Rouane, who wears a hood for her second start as trainer Andrew Balding has won three of the last seven runnings, including with Alcohol Free in 2020.

Butterfly Beach15:40 Newbury

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Jky: Kieran Shoemark Tnr: Ed Walker

Likeness15:40 Newbury

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Jky: Billy Loughnane Tnr: George Boughey

3. There was optimism surrounding Square D’Alboni’s three-year-old campaign, but the first half of this season has been far less fruitful than the second half of last term. The gelded son of Zarak rattled off a hat-trick culminating in a Listed win at Chantilly in October, and trainer Ralph Beckett is returning to France in search of another victory at that level at Clairefontaine (1.33). Square D’Alboni finished last in the Chester Vase on his comeback but wasn’t beaten far at Hamilton last time, and he will appreciate any ease in the ground in a race won two years ago by subsequent King George hero Goliath.