TimeformBlog

Beatrice Aurore is progressing well and took the step up to listed company in her stride at Goodwood last month. She needs to improve again to figure here and while her pedigree suggests she should stay this far, her free-going nature adds a degree of doubt.

Blaise Chorus is still a maiden but improved to split Wonder of Wonders and Fork Handles in the Cheshire Oaks last time. That form still leaves her well short of the standard required to win this.

Blue Bunting is a stoutly-bred filly who improved markedly on her juvenile efforts when landing the 1000 Guineas on her reappearance. She will be at least as a effective at this sort of strip and sets a solid standard with the promise of more to come.

Dancing Rain improved on her sole juvenile outing when taking a strong maiden at Newbury in April and showed better form still when beaten a head by Izzi Top at the same track last time. She needs to settle better if she's going to stay a mile and a half.

Eirnin won a maiden at Navan last autumn but has cut little ice this year and she looks booked for pacemaking duties.

Fork Handles ran as well as could be expected when third to Wonder of Wonders and Blaise Chorus in the Cheshire Oaks last time, but lacks the scope of that pair so it's hard to see her making an impact at this level.

Havant was impressive when winning both her two-year-old starts and didn't look fully wound up when sixth to Blue Bunting in the 1000 Guineas. Her pedigree points to her staying this far and she needs consideration with further improvement on the cards.

Izzi Top has improved with each of her three outings this season, beating Dancing Rain in a mile-and-a-quarter listed race at Newbury last time. She has plenty about her physically so further progress can't be ruled out.

Misty For Me won two Group 1s last year and bounced back from a tame effort in the 1000 Guineas when a game winner of the Irish equivalent last month. That puts her on a par with Blue Bunting in form terms, though she may not have quite the same scope for improvement.

Siren's Song had a luckless Wonder of Wonders in behind when runner-up on her debut and improved to land a ten-furlong listed race at Navan impressively in April. The longer trip is sure to suit and she's not one to dismiss lightly.

Why landed a seven-furlong maiden at Leopardstown in August but her progress has halted since and her stable looks to have a couple of stronger contenders.

Wonder of Wonders met all sorts of trouble behind Siren's Song at Leopardstown on her reappearance and showed what she could do when landing the Cheshire Oaks in clear-cut style on her latest outing. More will be required here, but she has more scope for improvement than any of her rivals.

Zain Al Boldan is unbeaten in three starts and took a marked leap forward when putting her rivals to the sword in the Lingfield Oaks Trial last time. That looked a weak renewal, however, and this will be a considerably tougher test.

Timeform 1-2-3:
1. Blue Bunting
2. Wonder of Wonders
3. Siren's Song

Timeform View: Blue Bunting sets a high standard and is bred to improve for the trip, so has to be the call, although there is considerably more to come from Irish pair Wonder of Wonders and Siren's Song, the latter in particular looking overpriced at current odds.

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