'We've been aiming her at this' - will Scenic hit the target again at York in highly competitive Bronte Cup?

The form of this month’s Listed Daisy Warwick Fillies’ Stakes is going to be well and truly tested in a 17-minute spell on ITV, with two similar Group 3s for older fillies and mares staged at Haydock and York.

That contest was run over 1m4f, and the first, sixth and seventh have opted to stay at that trip in the Pinnacle on Merseyside, while Scenic (second), Sueno (fourth) and Allonsy (fifth) line up over two furlongs further in the Bronte Cup at York.

That trio were all making their reappearance at Goodwood, with Scenic two and a half lengths in front of Sueno, with a head back to Allonsy. But will they finish in the same order this time?

Scenic shaped well from the back in a slowly run race and likes York, having recorded her career-best Racing Post Rating with a comfortable win in the Galtres Stakes in August, while she also proved her stamina when a neck third in the 1m7f Prix du Carrousel in France in July.

Allonsy also showed her staying credentials last year when placed in the Listed Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot in October after racking up a four-timer in handicaps. Her dam, Alyssa, won that contest as a three-year-old before landing a Group 2 the following year, and Allonsy is likely to have been brought forward from her first start since wind surgery.

Scenic and Allonsy are more exposed, with 16 and 12 career starts respectively, while Sueno only made her debut in October and outran odds of 22-1 when she seemingly had plenty to find last time, shaping like she would be suited by further.

Her effort can also be marked up given she wasn’t best positioned and then met trouble in running at a crucial stage, and the booking of Ryan Moore, who has a 26 per cent strike-rate when teaming up with the Gosdens, is a positive.

Stablemate Jane Temple is just as unexposed and has improved with every start, but the biggest danger may be last year's winner Term Of Endearment, who sets the standard and is dropping in class, having contested the Dubai Gold Cup last month.
Analysis by Harry Wilson

Will it be more Bronte love for Endearment?

Term Of Endearment provided recently-retired Rachael Blackmore with another groundbreaking win during her illustrious career in this race last year, but now the mare bids to create her own history as the only dual winner of the Bronte Cup.

The six-year-old gave Blackmore, who brought the curtain down on her time in the saddle this month, her biggest Flat success and only British winner in that sphere 12 months ago, when trained by Henry de Bromhead, before winning a Group 2 at Glorious Goodwood.

Term Of Endearment (Billy Lee,right) wins the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood

Term Of Endearment: won this race for her previous connections last yearCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

She was sold for 1.3 million guineas to new owner Zhang Yuesheng in December and is now with William Haggas, for whom she finished seventh in the Dubai Gold Cup on her yard debut last month.

Her rider this year will be Tom Marquand, who said: "Course-and-distance form is a nice thing to have and she's an extremely tough and talented stayer. She was bought from Henry's for Yulong, who are really strengthening their mares' ranks.

"She ran well in Dubai without it going perfectly. She looks like she's starting to come on now and hopefully she can repeat that form from last year."

What they say

Ralph Beckett, trainer of Allonsy
She seems to be in good form and I think she will like the track too.

Tom Ward, trainer of Crystal Flyer
She won on her comeback last month and came out of that really well. She should take another good step forward from that and she's been working nicely since. She's stepping back up to this trip again, but she seemed to stay well before. She's going for black type and we're hopeful of a really nice run.

Thady Gosden, joint-trainer of Jane Temple and Sueno
Jane Temple won well despite carrying plenty of weight at Kempton last time and this step up to a mile and six furlongs should play to her strengths. Sueno ran a fine comeback to be fourth to her stablemate Shaha, who runs in a Group 3 at Haydock, at Goodwood last time and should also appreciate the longer trip.

Ed Walker, trainer of Scenic
We've been aiming her at this. The way she ran away with the Galtres Stakes here over a mile and a half last summer suggests she'll be ideally suited by this test. She ran well from a bad draw to finish second in a Listed race on her reappearance at Goodwood, where she probably needed the race slightly, and that should've put her spot on for this.
Reporting by Matt Rennie

Raceday Intel:

Robbie Wilders' play of the day at York

Tom Segal found the Brigadier Gerard winner on Thursday and is convinced one of his Saturday tips 'remains a top-class horse in the making'

2.10 Chester: 'He looks the right favourite' - can course-and-distance winner stage repeat on seasonal reappearance?

2.23 Haydock: Analysis and quotes as Royal Ascot sprinters limber up in Group 3 with a Group 1 pedigree

2.58 Haydock: This filly is in the Arc, but with breeding which doesn't scream stamina can she become an atypical winner of the Pinnacle?

3.33 Haydock: ‘I’ve not seen as hot a John of Gaunt’ - insight on leading contenders plus key quotes for Haydock feature