Progressive Say ready to strike
The daughter of Galileo has really blossomed in her last two outings and should now be ready to strike.
In the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh, she was a highly creditable close up fifth behind Ambivalent and continued the progress, back at headquarters on her latest appearance.
On this occasion, the selection contested a Group 2 and produced a cracking effort to finish a length and three parts second behind Michael Stoute’s classy older horse, Dank.
Say appeared to be more than happy running in a hood for the first time then and it is no surprise that aid is again being utilised.
Dermot Weld’s (pictured) Calibrate is the interesting one in the Irish Stallion Farms’ EBF Fillies Maiden.
On the basis of her only outing to date, at the Galway festival, she has no chance, but too much shouldn’t be read into that performance.
The daughter of Rail Link was beaten more than 14 lengths, when fourth of five behind Aidan O’Brien’s Agreement, and has over nine lengths to find with the third, Roman Romance.
But the ground was desperately testing and Calibrate, who is bred to be suited by a much faster surface, simply couldn’t handle it.
She is well regarded by Weld and dropping down over two furlongs in trip now is to her advantage.
Weld could also supply the answer to the tricky Rita Davies Slattery 70th Celebration Nursery with Mahon Falls. She is obviously quite ordinary, but ran on strongly late when fourth to Focussed at Galway.
Mahon Falls in now 5lbs better in with Focussed, for a beating of just over a length, and can reverse those placings.
Princess Aloof was third, a short head in front of Mahon Falls, they meet on exactly the same terms, but Weld’s filly may reverse the running, on this quicker surface!
