The feature race on day one of the Cesarewitch meeting at Newmarket on Friday is the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile for juveniles (15:35). Irish raider Cayenne Pepper appeals to continue her unbeaten run.
Trained by Jessica Harrington, who has won the Cheveley Park Stakes and Prix Marcel Boussac with other two-year-olds over the last couple of weeks, the daughter of Australia has landed all three career starts to date.
After readily scoring by three-quarters of a length in a Leopardstown maiden over 7f on debut, Cayenne Pepper followed-up at Tipperary.
Subsequent Group 1 winner Love, who re-opposes here, came out of her first run, but was 5 1/2 lengths behind her in fourth.
Cayenne Pepper then only needed a hands and heels ride from jockey Shane Foley to beat Royal County Down, who won his next two starts, by a length. She was value for more than the winning margin.
Connections then pitched Cayenne Pepper into Group 3 company for the Flame Of Tara Stakes at The Curragh over the 1m trip of this.
She made all, turning away the challenge of So Wonderful in the final furlong for a comfortable 2 1/2 lengths victory. That completed her hat-trick and the Fillies’ Mile has been her target ever since.
As Harrington’s other juveniles have scored at the highest level, Cayenne Pepper has claims. She is 11/4 with Bethard for the four-timer here.
Quadrilateral feared most
Powerful owner Khalid Abdullah last won this race way back in 1996. He has supplemented in-form Roger Charlton trained and unbeaten Frankel filly Quadrilateral this year.
Given that, she rates the main danger to Cayenne Pepper. Both of Quadrilateral’s career wins have come at Newbury over 7f.
Following a neck success on debut, she could not have been more impressive when bolting up by nine lengths last time out.
After being held-up by Jason Watson, Quadrilateral made very smooth progress to lead well over a furlong from home.
She then drew right away from the opposition and only needed pushing out for a facile victory. This was visually impressive, but what she beat is open to question.
Connections are clearly confident of a big run from Quadrilateral after supplementing her for the Fillies’ Mile, so at 5/2 with Unibet a bold bid is expected. It would be no surprise to see her take the massive step up in grade in her stride.
Love another with claims in Fillies’ Mile
Another danger is Cayenne Pepper’s old rival Love. Trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, who has won this five times before, this daughter of Galileo has won three of her last four starts.
Donnacha O’Brien gave Love a very tender introduction in that Leopardstown maiden behind Cayenne Pepper, and she then came good on her third career start at the same venue.
She rallied to beat Soul Search by a head and the runner-up has since placed in group races.
After following-up easily in the Group 3 Silver Flash also at Leopardstown, Love found yielding ground against her when only fifth in the Group 2 Debutante Stakes at The Curragh.
She has since resumed winning ways with success at the highest level, though.
That came in the Moyglare Stud on Irish Champions Weekend, where she stayed on well in the closing stages and accounted for Daahyeh by three-quarters of a length.
Group 1 form always commands respect, but Love needs to prove she handles a softer surface. She is top-rated in the Fillies’ Mile off a mark of 110 – 1lb ahead of Cayenne Pepper.
While a step up in trip holds no fears based on how she shaped last time out, Love is taken on despite odds of 7/2 with Boylesports in this because she’s more exposed than other rivals after six starts.
More to come from Powerful Breeze
Of the remaining fillies in the nine-runner field, two more are of interest. Powerful Breeze captured Group 2 success in the May Hill Stakes over this trip at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival meeting last time out.
Trained by Hugo Palmer, this daughter of Iffraaj kept on well to beat the re-opposing Boomer by a length. It was a big step forward from Powerful Breeze on just her second career outing.
Prior to her Doncaster exploits, she ran on over 7f on the July course here when beating Broadbeach by 2 3/4 lengths.
A repeat of her May Hill victory means there’s nothing to fear from Boomer or Goodwood Group 3 winner West End Girl.
Powerful Breeze now faces her toughest assignment to date, but looks the one most likely to run into a place if one or other of the market principals don’t produce. She is 6/1 with BetVictor for the Fillies’ Mile.
John Gosden and Frankie Dettori have had some season, so the unexposed Anastarsia is one to keep an eye on with the future in mind.
This Sea The Stars filly was a fading four-length fourth to Pocket Square on debut at Ascot.
Anastarsia duly showed the benefit of that experience, however, when keeping on strongly for a 1 1/2 lengths victory on the all-weather at Newcastle.
While this is a big step up in grade, connections don’t go tilting at windmills with their juveniles.
Enable ran in a similar race as a juvenile, so this Group 1 entry looks significant.
Dettori now takes over in the saddle, so Anastarsia is worth a market check if odds of 18/1 with Ladbrokes start drying up.
