Mawj heads international raiders in Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

Mawj, unraced since winning the English One Thousand Guineas (G1) in May, will receive a tune-up for a possible Breeders’ Cup bid in Saturday’s $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1) at Keeneland. The Godolphin homebred daughter of Exceed and Excel is under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) and Filly & Mare Turf (G1), and Mawj will stretch out to 1 1/8 miles for the first time against 11 rivals in the Queen Elizabeth.

Oisin Murphy will be in to ride for Saeed bin Suroor, and Mawj will bring a three-race win streak to her U.S. debut. A half-sister to two-time Breeders’ Cup winner Modern Games, Irish-bred Mawj has been installed as the 2-1 morning line favorite.

A total of 13 three-year-old fillies were entered for the 40th running of the Queen Elizabeth, but only 12 will be allowed to start. A pair of accomplished runners, stakes winner and Coronation (G1) third Sounds of Heaven and Group 3 winner Elouda Queen, will join Mawj from overseas.

Elusive Princess, a close second in the Prix Saint-Alary (G1) at Longchamp three back, will make her second U.S. appearance after romping by 3 1/4 lengths in the Saratoga Oaks (G3) in early August. The French-bred daughter of Martinborough will make her first start for trainer Arnaud Delacour, and Flavien Prat retains the call on the 3-1 second choice.

French One Thousand Guineas (G1) runner-up Lindy, a convincing odds-on allowance scorer at Kentucky Downs in her first U.S. start, is listed at 8-1 with Tyler Gaffalione. Chad Brown has a pair of runners, Grade 2 queen Prerequisite and Grade 3 winner Liguria, and the deep field also includes multiple Grade 3 winner Mission of Joy, Pucker Up (G3) heroine Safeen, Grade 2 winner Papillo, and Del Mar Oaks (G1) runner-up Be Your Best.