Pretty Polly Preview: Don't stop believing in Journey

Sunday’s Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, which in a break from tradition doesn’t have a sponsor, features the first double-figure field size since Alexander Goldrun beat nine rivals in 2010. On that occasion Jim Bolger’s filly was ridden by Kevin Manning, and both the betting and Timeform weight-adjusted ratings suggest that Manning could be a crucial component in Sunday’s renewal. He picks up the ride on the John Gosden-trained Journey due to the enforced absence of the mare’s usual rider Frankie Dettori, and she looks to hold very strong claims on her first start outside of England.

Following her reappearance run at York last May, Journey improved with each start, recording victories in the Pinnacle Stakes at Haydock, a listed race at Newmarket, and finally when winning the Champions Fillies and Mares Stakes at Ascot in October. She beat Speedy Boarding by four lengths there, with subsequent Breeders’ Cup winner (and recent My Timeform entry) Queen’s Trust a neck further back in third. Journey was nowhere near that form when fifth in the Coronation Cup at Epsom on her reappearance, but she definitely shaped as if needing the run after eight months off and has been saved for this race since (did have a Hardwicke Stakes entry at Royal Ascot). The only question mark around her would be if there was lots of rain, having never raced on ground slower than good to soft, however she handles that fine.

The market for Sunday’s race is currently headed by the Dermot Weld-trained Zhukova. A lengthy mare who produced a very smart performance when winning the Blue Wind Stakes at Naas (by seven and a half lengths) last season – the middle leg of a hat-trick – Zhukova has continued her progression in 2017, improving significantly on her reappearance win when landing the Man o' War Stakes at Belmont (beat Taghleeb by six lengths, leading early in straight and forging clear) in May. She is clearly still on an upward curve, and, having raced mainly on good or softer ground (acts on heavy), any softening of the ground would be to her advantage.

Sir Michael Stoute sends Smart Call over to Ireland for the first time, the mare having shown very similar form on both of her starts in England since moving from South Africa. She was a multiple Grade 1 winner over there, and made an encouraging return from 16 months off, disadvantaged by the run of the race and likely to be sharper for the run anyway, when third of four in the Middleton Stakes at York in May. She was then sent off at 9/2 for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, posting a respectable effort back in a more competitive race as she finished one and three quarter lengths fourth to Qemah. Even her very best form however, leaves her with something to find with both Journey and Zhukova.

The third and final English raider is Nezwaah. Trained by Roger Varian, she won three of her first four starts as a three-year-old in 2016, her first season on the track, and improved again towards the end of the year, finishing a half-length second to So Mi Dar in a listed race at Yarmouth and probably undone by the draw when mid-field in a Grade 1 at Woodbine in October. She didn’t need to be at her best but was value for any amount extra when winning a listed race at Ayr on her reappearance in May, and, for all that this looks a big ask, she has earned this step up in class; her trainer won this race with Amibivalent in 2013.

It’s rare that an Irish preview doesn’t mention Aidan O’Brien until the sixth paragraph, especially when he is chasing a hat-trick of wins in the race, however the absence of his star fillies means that the likes of Pocketfullofdreams and Rain Goddess have been tasked with improving enough in order to win this. Rain Goddess, who was fifth in the French 1000 Guineas behind Precieuse, improved again when a well-backed one and a quarter lengths second to Con Te Partiro in the listed Sandringham Handicap at Royal Ascot, while Pocketfullofdreams was last seen winning a 1m maiden at Naas, her first win at the eighth time of asking.

Of more interest is Intricately, trained by Aidan’s son Joseph, who hasn’t been seen since finishing a five-length fourth to Winter in the Irish 1000 Guineas here in May. She handles soft ground but the daughter of Fastnet Rock has something to prove in terms of stamina now upped 2f in trip.

Creggs Pipes proved better than ever to gain easily the most important of her seven career wins when landing the Lanwades Stud Stakes last time, though she was undoubtedly seen to maximum effect under what were her optimum conditions; this looks much tougher. The likes of Laganmore (Tony Martin), Turret Rocks (Jim Bolger), and Santa Monica (Charles O’Brien) all have plenty to find, and a win for any would be something of an upset.

Recommended bet:

Journey to win Sunday’s Pretty Polly Stakes at 5/2