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Chigun represents Cecil's wishes in Duke of Cambridge Sir Henry Cecil's midas touch with fillies is the stuff of folklore and the Group 2 Duke of Cambridge Stakes would have been the type of race he would have excelled in had it existed during his pomp. As a parting shot, the maestro of Warren Place requested that the highly progressive Chigun be supplemented for Wednesday's renewal and it would be a fitting tribute if she can prevail. Although she was beaten a short head by Dank when in receipt of three pounds on her return in the Group 3 Dahlia going nine furlongs at Newmarket on May 5, Chigun won The Curragh's Group 3 Ridgewood Pearl as she liked over the one-mile Duke of Cambridge distance 20 days later. "The filly has been in great form since the Curragh and we think she has taken a step forward since then," Rob Speers, racing manager for the four-year-old Chigun, told PA Sport. "She is still lightly raced and still on an upward curve. It goes without saying if she could go and win tomorrow, it would be fantastic for the whole team at Warren Place. I think recent events put horse racing into perspective and Chigun is an absolute testimony to Sir Henry's ability to bring out the very best in his fillies. "This race has been in the book for a while. She wasn't entered originally, but Henry was keen to come here after she ran so well in the Dahlia S. at Newmarket. We didn't take the decision to supplement lightly as it costs a lot of money, but she's in really good form and we're delighted to be carrying Sir Henry's plan through. She'll love the ground, she's a course-and-distance winner and, on official figures, she's the highest-rated filly in the race. "We're going there very hopeful and after what has been a very trying time for Lady Cecil and everyone at Warren Place, it would be amazing if the dream comes true and this filly can go and win" Dank belongs in the yard of Cecil's great rival Sir Michael Stoute, who has won this three times since its inception in 2004, and James Wigan's homebred was building on last year's promise in the Dahlia. The penalty she carried in that race was earned when winning Sandown's Group 3 Atalanta over this trip in September and she is another on the rise. Duntle invades from Ireland for Flaxman Stables. The filly scaled the heights quickly last season when annexing Leopardstown's Group 3 Desmond in August and the Group 1 Matron the following month only to lose the latter race in the stewards' room. Returning to that venue to take the Group 3 Amethyst on May 12, Duntle has conditions to suit. Multiple South African Group 1 winner Dancewiththedevil is now with Roger Varian after failing to shine in her last two starts, most recently when eighth in the April 28 President's Champion Challenge, and her new conditioner is hoping that the rain arrives. "She took a while to acclimatize when she arrived, but she has been training very well over the last few weeks," Varian said. "I expect her to run well, to show she is up to this level in this country, but whatever she does on Wednesday I think she will improve on. Her best form is with cut in the ground, so I hope it is not too fast on Wednesday." In the Group 3 Jersey for three-year-olds on Wednesday, Gale Force Ten will cut back in trip to seven furlongs for his Coolmore/Aidan O'Brien connections following a runner-up finish in the Irish Two Thousand Guineas. O'Brien shortened up the classic-placed Mozart to win the same event in 2001 at Royal Ascot. Fourth in the Group 1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains at Longchamp on May 12, the 2012 Group 2 Norfolk runner-up returned 13 days later to finish second to Magician at The Curragh, recording the same finish in the classic event as Mozart. "(Gale Force Ten) ran a big race in the Middle Park last year (when finishing a close third) and he surprised us a little bit how well he got the mile at The Curragh," O'Brien commented. "You'd imagine going back to seven furlongs would suit and he's in good form." Leading the opposition is Garswood, another who raced over sprint trips at two before returning to try further this term. Impressive in Newmarket's European Free over this distance on April 17, the bay was never a factor when seventh in the English Two Thousand Guineas back there last time but trainer Richard Fahey is keen to draw a line under that effort. "When the stalls opened, he was half in the air and got turned sideways and never got into the race," Fahey said. "It was one of those races you'd have liked to have done again and was frustrating, as he's a horse we think an awful lot of. He's very talented and has a lot of gears, but is still learning his trade." Richard Hannon puts forward a trio headed by the May 30 Heron scorer Montiridge, who is the choice of Richard Hughes over the May 1 Pavilion winner Ninjago. "Montiridge' s listed (win) was a mile on easy ground and it remains to be seen whether he will be as effective over this seven furlongs," Hannon stated. "Though all his four wins have been over six furlongs, (Ninjago) gets the seven well." Interestingly, Jean-Claude Rouget sends across a duo in Joseph Allen's Prix Sigy winner The Brothers War and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum's unbeaten Mutin. Qatar Racing will be disappointed if they go through the Royal meeting without a win and if it has not arrived by the time Wednesday's Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes comes around it could be that Beldale Memory provides the desired result. The juvenile filly is the likely favorite in the five-furlong test. Beldale Memory brings black-type experience to the mix, improving her mark to two-for-two in York's Marygate over five furlongs on May 17, and the Clive Cox trainee may be tested most by fellow listed scorer Rizeena. Compared with Sayyedati and Pebbles by trainer Clive Brittain after she had beaten the colts in the National S. at Sandown May 30, Rizeena is worthy of maximum respect. Interestingly, Richard Hughes has opted to ride Oriel even though Highclere Thoroughbred Racing's color bearer is still a maiden after meeting Rizeena at Ascot on May 10, and another of Qatar Racing's representatives in Alutiq at Newbury on May 17. "Hughesie has opted for Oriel, taking the view that the filly should be going
there with a one next to her name," trainer Richard Hannon said. "He held his
hands up after Newbury, where she Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com
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