Watch all the Champions Day action from Ascot live on Sky Sports Racing from 1pm on Saturday, with the first race at 1.35pm and the Fillies & Mares Stakes at 2.45pm
Saturday 19 October 2019 14:53, UK
Sky Sports Racing's Gina Bryce gives her verdict on the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
With two Classic winners already on the roll of honour in this Group 1 finale to the seven-race Fillies and Mares category, the 2019 renewal could see a third join Dancing Rain and Simple Verse with two Oaks winners featuring in a standout edition of this valuable contest.
John Gosden has enjoyed a stellar season thanks in no small part to the embarrassment of riches in the fillies and mares department and it is no surprise to see three runners feature from Clarehaven headlined by his two Oaks winners, Anapurna and Star Catcher.
His big race ally Frankie Dettori has opted for Star Catcher who lowered the colours of the race-rusty Anapurna in the Prix Vermeille at Longchamp but who will face a tougher task this time against the subsequent winner of the Prix de Royallieu.
Throw in four Aidan O'Brien-trained runners, Ballydoyle are seeking to complete the hat-trick in the race, and an unexposed mud-loving wildcard in Antonia De Vega and the race is shaping up to be an absolute cracker.
An unheralded winner of the Epsom Oaks in June, Gosden's Classic winner returned from a break in the Vermeille to finish well beaten by her stablemate Star Catcher before getting her season back on track in the Group 1 Prix Royallieu on Arc weekend.
Given a race controlling ride from the front under Dettori she made all, showing guts and tenacity to hold on in very soft conditions over the longer trip.
Stamina will be a useful asset come Saturday on similar forecast ground. However, reports of her having gone in her coat and the fact Frankie overlooks her could temper enthusiasm.
A lightly-raced three-year-old from the stable of 2015 winner Simple Verse, this daughter of Lope De Vega lost her unbeaten juvenile record when fracturing a pastern in the Fillies Mile but proved she retained all her ability when returning with an impressive win at Listed level at Newbury in June.
Touted for the Irish Oaks before being withdrawn on account of the fast ground, she has not been seen since. Her ability to handle bottomless conditions, coupled with reports of a pleasing recent racecourse gallop, mark her down as a fascinating contender.
Smart, consistent performer who has mixed it at the very highest level to follow home both Anapurna and Tarnawa on several occasions this season. Yet to win anything other than her maiden, however, and a step forward would be required to see her notch up a second career victory.
Early-season promise and placings in both Oaks were the high points of a subsequently disappointing season for Pink Dogwood. Questions to answer now after finishing well beaten in both the Prix Vermeille and Prix de l'Opera on recent starts.
The leading light amongst John Gosden's impressive armoury of three-year-old fillies, this daughter of Sea The Stars improved for the step up to 1m 4f to stamp her authority on the best of her generation in the Ribblesdale and the Irish Oaks.
The choice of Dettori added the Prix Vermeille to her haul for the season last time and having proved both her wellbeing, stamina and ability to handle soft conditions she should prove a tough nut to crack for potential rivals
Dermot Weld won this race in 2012 with Sapphire and this daughter of sire-of-the-season Shamardal tries to repeat the feat having also won the Group 3 Give Thanks Stakes at Cork en route to Ascot.
Things did not go right for her on her only other trip to the UK in the Oaks but having had a mid-summer break she has now won her last two, proving her versatility on any ground and over a variety of trips in the process. She is a genuine, consistent filly who could easily take the step forward required to take this for her master trainer.
The race does not lack for strength in depth at the confirmation stage and we should be in for an exciting renewal of this showpiece event for fillies and mares. Whilst it is difficult to find any chinks in the impressive armoury of favourite Star Catcher, if the likely bottomless conditions materialise it could be worth siding with the fresh, unexposed ANTONIA DE VEGA who will relish the ground and could hand the shrewd Ralph Beckett get his name on the roll of honour for a second time.
