Nine fillies and mares go to post for this year’s Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro Pipalong Stakes, with the Listed contest over a mile having been won by Cheveley Park – who aren’t represented this year – in each of the past three seasons.
Roman Mist (pictured above) chased home two Cheveley Park-owned (and bred) mares when third in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom last time and drops in class here. The grey was never far from the pace and had earlier beaten the runner-up when successful in Listed company at Kempton. That form has worked out very well since, with the third My Astra winning a Listed race by 12 lengths next time before finishing runner-up in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, whilst the fourth Lola Showgirl won a Group 3 on her next start.
Tom Ward’s filly has, arguably, the best single piece of form on offer and is clearly an improving four-year-old. She carries a penalty for that earlier Listed win, but the daughter of Holy Roman Emperor warrants utmost respected.
On official ratings, Thunder Beauty comes out much the best, with the BHA rating David O’Meara’s Night Of Thunder filly 2lbs superior to Roman Mist yet she receives 3lbs. Another four-year-old who drops in class, she finished runner-up in the Group 2 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot last time. Yet to win for her current stable, she has actually only ever won once in her life, when landing a six-furlong maiden at the Curragh almost two years ago. Unexposed over this mile trip, she travelled well at Ascot and a reproduction of that run would obviously make her a leading contender under Daniel Tudhope.
Godolphin are represented by Dubai Love who is another who hasn’t won for a while. She landed the UAE 1000 Guineas in January 2020 and has struggled a little in cheek-pieces since returning from another winter in Meydan. She finished only seventh in the Kensington Palace last time, although she was caught wide and only faded late on. Going back up in trip should help the daughter of Night Of Thunder, although she faces a couple of in-form rivals this afternoon, who arrive here at the top of their game.
Rising Star actually won the Kensington Palace, when receiving 7lbs from Dubai Love. They race off level weights this time, but again she faces a much stiffer task on this occasion.
The other last-time-out winner in the line-up is the George Boughey-trained filly, Romantic Rival. She won a Kempton handicap by a nose off a mark of 85 last month, so clearly is another who needs to take a big step forward on all-known form. Formerly trained in France and owned by Godolphin, that was her first win on just her third start for the Classic winning trainer.
The remaining four runners also all have a bit to find on official ratings with the likes of Roman Mist and Thunder Beauty, with the pick of the quartet being Let’s who travels over from Ireland. She finished quite well at Musselburgh last time and will likely appreciate the longer trip, but is another who needs to put up a career-best to get involved.