Glance looks decent value at 9/2 with Paddy Power to land the feature race at Newcastle on Friday night, the Group 3 Hoppings Fillies Stakes run over 1m 2f (19:05).
This daughter of Dansili hails from the in-form yard of Ralph Beckett and showed improved form in each of her four runs as a juvenile, scoring second time up at Goodwood before going on to finish fourth at this level and runner-up in a Listed affair at Newbury.
Glance looked the type to do better as a three-year-old and that view was confirmed on return to action at York when she kept on well from off the pace to finish a never nearer 3 1/4 lengths third of 11 to Magnetic Charm in a Listed contest over 1m.
The winner has since run a cracker to finish a neck second under top weight in the Sandringham Stakes at Royal Ascot, whilst the third home Twist N’Shake was beaten just 3 1/2 lengths when fourth to Watch Me in the Group 1 Coronation Stakes at the meeting.
That gives the form a strong look and Glance comes into this on the back on a fine, staying on 1 1/2 lengths third to Obligate in a Group 2 at Chantilly over 1m.
Judged on the way in which Glance finished off in both those races, the extra two furlongs of this should be right up her street.
She is also rated just 5lb below Sun Maiden, who heads the betting for this, but receives a handy 12lb weight-for-age allowance from that rival.
It means that on adjusted ratings, Glance comes out on top and 2lb above Nyaleti – officially the best filly in the 11-runner line up. That makes her the one to be on.
Sun Maiden a major player for Stoute
Newmarket handler Sir Michael Stoute saddled Smart Call to land the spoils in this 12 months ago and Sun Maiden looks sure to make a bold bid to follow in her stable companion’s footsteps.
This daughter of Frankel shaped with bags of promise in her sole run as a juvenile when fourth at Wolverhampton, before winning a Salisbury maiden by a wide margin.
Sun Maiden travelled ominously well throughout and, after taking up the running on the bridle two from home, stretched effortlessly clear to beat White Light by 12 lengths.
Although what she beat is questionable, Sun Maiden clocked a decent time without being asked a serious question.
It was visually very impressive and one which saw her into Group 2 company for the 2018 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, where she was far from disgraced when a keeping on 5 1/2 lengths third to Magic Wand.
Sun Maiden then failed to sparkle in her next three outings, but there was lost to like about her seasonal reappearance run at York last month when a 4 3/4 lengths third to Lah Ti Dar in the Group 2 Middleton Stakes.
She has since gone on to land the Listed 1m 2f Nottinghamshire Oaks in impressive fashion when showing a smart turn of foot to easily beat Shalene by 2 1/2 lengths.
That was a weak contest for the grade, but Sun Maiden got the job done in style and Stoute appears to have got her career back on track.
However, she has often looked far from straightforward. At 15/8 with BetVictor, Sun Maiden looks plenty short enough and worth taking on.
Nyaleti not to be underestimated
The aforementioned top-rated Nyaleti has some smart form in the book and now drops in grade, so is another with claims in what looks a trappy renewal.
This Mark Johnston trained four-year-old filly scored twice last season landing a Listed affair at Goodwood, before following-up in good style in the Group 2 German 1000 Guineas when drawing readily clear to beat Malakeh by 4 1/4 lengths.
Nyaleti was then far from disgraced when fourth to Alpha Centauri in the Group 1 Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket, or when beaten just 1 1/4 lengths into fifth behind Beat The Bank in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood.
The daughter of Arch went on to round off the campaign with a fine neck second to God Given in a Group 1 in Italy.
There was lots to like about her seasonal reappearance at Newmarket when a length second of five to Worth Waiting in the Group 2 Dahlia Stakes.
Nyaleti raced at the head of affairs and, after being short of room two from home, rallied strongly when headed to go down by just a length.
She was then not at her best when fourth to Lah Ti Dar in a Group 2 at York and clearly amiss when a 39-length last of eight to Anna Nerium in a Group 3 at the Epsom Derby meeting.
Nyaleti has since, however, run very well to finish seventh of 17 to Move Swiftly in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.
That was a big step back in the right direction, and this is easier, so if building on that she is entitled to go close.
So, at 7/1 with Bethard, Nyaleti looks the each-way value and thus completes this Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes preview.
