Royal Ascot 2012 - Ribblesdale Stakes

3.05 Royal Ascot (Day 3, Race 2)

Ribblesdale Stakes (Fillies' Group 2) (Class 1)  (3YO only)

Winner £77,092

Advice: 3 pts win The Fugue (2/1 general), 1 pt win Shirocco Star (6/1 Paddy Power*)

Chella Thriller: Far too wide into the home turn and then green when asked for effort in Lingfield maiden (also slowly run, so was in a bad place pacewise); Sure to win a race, but so much more needed here.

Colima: Taking winner of Nottingham maiden and hinted at even more promise when second to Vow in Lingfield Oaks trial, being held up out of her ground off what was a slow pace; Made eyecatching move to be clear second in the straight but no answer to Vow and then beaten into ninth in the Oaks; Doesn’t have the excuses that some beaten horses in that race have and opposable here.

Dinvar Diva: Eye-catcher on only two year old start when sneaking into fourth behind Esentepe but easily beaten in Lingfield Oaks and while he was impressive in winning last time (overturned an odds on favourite) this demands too much.

Hazel Lavery: Followed up promising debut effort with comfortable maiden win and then solid second to Samitar in sales race; Smashed by Kaliani in the Pretty Polly at Newmarkey however and won’t turn around that form soon.

Inchina: Made most of promising debut (behind Shirocco Star) at 2 to land Newbury maiden before then disappointing in Chesire Oaks; One would imagine that this trip within range but better options available.

Kalaini: Made hard work of winning her one and only start at two in Yarmouth maiden but different horse when stepped up in trip at Newmarket for the Pretty Polly Stakes, romping away with what was an admittedly messy race late on; Went to Oaks because of that but the worst affected by barging before Tattenham Corner and never had a chance after that; Can’t dismiss.

Momentary: Fourth behind Inchina on debut (came with a strong effort and then just fell flat thanks to inexperience) and put that to good use when winning Listed race at same track next time out; That form couldn’t have worked out any stronger with Shirocco Star (reopposing) going onto be second in the Oaks and third home Starscope having been second in the Guineas; Needs considering.

Pink Damsel: Had much more in hand than winning margin of a neck when making winning debut at Newmarket (backed into 2/1 before the odd); Will need to come on a lot from that in this race but should be respected nevertheless.

Princess Highway: Never in it on debut at 2 but always going to make it as a 3yo and looked very impressive when beating Betterbetterbetter on seasonal reappearance, before then getting better of Aaraas and Oaks winner Was in Blue Wind Stakes; Should enjoy the trip (her dam won this in 2002) and respected.

Salford Art: Fourth in fillies mile last season but then beaten in Listed company and hard to fancy having been beaten by The Fugue and Kaliani on her last two starts.

Shirocco Star: Improved from debut when breaking maiden at second time of asking and stepped up into filly of real potential when only just beaten by Momentary at Newbury (rival got first run on her and was coming to win at the line); Built on that when just denied in Oaks (ran very keen throughought the race) and can step forward again if wide draw doesn’t hurt her chances too much.

The Fugue: Marked herself down as a filly of huge potential when fourth in 1,000 Guineas having suffered interrupted passage and then hacked up in Musidora (Twirl seconds); Only third in Oaks as favourite but that goes nowhere near to telling the story of the whole race, as she was bumped back to third last on the outside before Tattenham corner (off a slow gallop) before making up 10 lengths down the home straight, posting exceptional fractions (came down the home straight faster than Camelot did in Derby) to get as close as she did; Extra week between two races this year can only work out in her favour.

Twirl: Deeply impressive winner of maiden (second time of asking) at Leopardstown last autumn; Probably improved on that with running on second to Crysanthemum in the Park Express Stakes (given quite a bit to do), but no match for The Fugue in the Musidora or the Oaks and shouldn’t be here again.

Vow: Unbeaten in two starts and could hardly have been any more taking in either of them, making up tons of ground on debut in testing ground at Newbury before winning Oaks trial with tons to spare, coming home three and ¾ lengths clear of Colima despite wandering around several times in straight; Fourth in Oaks might not be as good as she was given that she didn’t handle the track but was better placed than any apart from winner in the race; Respected here.

VERDICT: A top notch renewal. The Oaks was an unsatisfactory renewal for many and THE FUGUE, sent off favourite that day, can make amends for a horrendous trip which almost certainly cost her the race (along with a slow pace). With an extra week between the Oaks and Royal Ascot this year, it’s to be hoped that she comes here ready to show her true colours before going onto even bigger things in open company. SHIROCCO STAR may have had a better run in the Oaks than the selection, but she was a taking second behind Momentary before running second in the Oaks and might have more to come today, so appeals as a cover bet with the . The Queen’s filly winning would raise the roof here and she did make a lot of appeal at 10’s, but at Newbury it looked as if Shirocco Star would be the better of the two over this trip. Vow should take the beating, although she had the best of things in the Oaks (although she didn’t handle the track) given the way the race panned out. Kaliani can’t be discounted, as her chance in the Oaks was finished by halfway and she seems to sure to appreciate a stiff finish such as Ascot, while Pink Damsel was taking on debut.