John Gosden thrilled as impressive Commissioning throws down Classic marker

Friday: Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Rockfel Stakes, Newmarket

Commissioning surged into contention for next year’s Qipco 1,000 Guineas with an impressive performance to maintain her unbeaten record, becoming the next potential star for trainers John and Thady Gosden in the process.

However, far from overflowing with superlatives after Commissioning’s runaway victory, John Gosden instead took greater pleasure in discussing the filly’s family and what the success would mean to her owner-breeders Isa Salman and Abdulla Al Khalifa.

Intriguingly, he also spoke about how Frankie Dettori could not stop the juvenile after she crossed the line on her winning debut at the end of July.

"I trained her mother [Sovereign Parade]," Gosden said. "We’re thrilled and thrilled for the owner-breeders. It’s exciting when you buy a mare, race her and then she quickly produces something like this at stud; that’s very pleasing for an owner-breeder.

"We wanted to give her a bit of time after [her debut] as she was growing. Frankie was surprised that day. He said he couldn’t pull her up and she went all the way to the end that day, which is a long way.

"We thought we’d wait for this rather than run her in the May Hill. She met the rising ground and she flew, so an extra furlong will help her a lot."

Commissioning ran out a dominant winner at NewmarketCredit: Alan Crowhurst (Getty Images)

As well as training Commissioning’s dam, Gosden also oversaw the career of her sire Kingman, who came close to landing the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket in 2014, only to lose out in the closing stages to Night Of Thunder.

Next year’s 1,000 Guineas could be a long-term target for Commissioning, who was cut to 6-1 (from 16) for the Classic by Paddy Power and Betfair, with the Group 1 bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on October 7 a possible next target.

It is an option alongside the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies’ Turf at Keeneland, a race which Gosden's previous Rockfel winner Juliet Capulet ran in back in 2017.

"The Fillies’ Mile comes up quickly, but it makes sense," Gosden added. "It’s close to home and she’s happy and well, so we’ll have a look at it. She’ll get the mile.

"We have the Breeders’ Cup option too – we did go to Del Mar with a filly who won this race. She didn’t stay, but this filly will."

Commissioning was chased home by Electric Eyes, whose trainer Karl Burke took the opportunity to compare her favourably to another daughter of Siyouni who was the star of his yard.

"She has a lot of similarities in terms of her personality with Laurens," Burke said. "You wouldn't get too close to her in her box and she wouldn’t go in the saddling boxes today, but it’s all new to her.

"She’s an inexperienced filly – a big, raw filly – but she’s got lots of talent. She’s exciting for sure."

Watch: Commissioning remains unbeaten with a bold showing in the Rockfel Stakes

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