Al Asifah, a beautifully bred Shadwell homebred who appears to have a big future, contests the Listed Weatherbys/British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes at Goodwood on Sunday after streaking clear to win a ten-furlong maiden at Haydock on debut last month.
The John and Thady Gosden-trained filly certainly has the pedigree to take this step up in class in her stride, as she is by Frankel (pictured) out of the Listed-placed Lawman mare Aneen, a half-sister to Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Awtaad and Cairn Rouge Stakes scorer Mehnah, from the family of Derby runner-up Madhmoon.
The Henry Candy-trained High Spirited also comes into the race on the back of a striking maiden victory, having got off the mark at the third attempt in a competitive heat over a mile at Windsor last month.
Bred by John Hanly, she is by Belardo out of Spirited Charm, an unraced Invincible Spirit full-sister to Listed-placed Wishfully from the family of Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Nightime and her Group 1-winning offspring Ghaiyyath and Zhukova.
The Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes hopeful with the best form in the book is probably the Paul and Oliver Cole-trained Sumo Sam, who finished second to Running Lion in the Pretty Polly Stakes in April but disappointed when trying to make all over 12 furlongs at Newmarket last time out. She should appreciate this return to two furlongs shorter.
Sumo Sam carries the silks of Ben and Sir Martyn Arbib, who bred her by sending their unraced Lope De Vega mare Seaduced to Nathaniel. The dam is a half-sister to Stay Alert, who won this race last year when it was run as the Abingdon Stakes at Newbury, and Listed scorer Star Rock, out of Park Hill Stakes runner-up Starfala.
Empress Wu was the decisive winner of a Lingfield maiden last autumn but finished down the field in the Musidora Stakes on her three-year-old bow, although she wasn’t beaten all that far that day by subsequent Oaks victress Soul Sister.
She is trained by David Simock for Kirsten Rausing, who bred her by sending Chinoiseries, a winning Archipenko full-sister to British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes heroine Madame Chiang, to Sea The Moon, who stands at her Lanwades Stud.
Crystallium, trained by Peter Chapple-Hyam for Elaine Nolan and Paul Hancock, is being given a significant step up in trip after finishing down the field in the Fred Darling Stakes and King Charles II Stakes this season.
The Watership Down Stud-bred filly is by Breeders’ Cup Mile victor Expert Eye out of the unplaced mare Crysdal, who in turn is a daughter of Dalakhani and Fillies’ Mile winner Crystal Music. That makes her a half-sister to smart sprint handicapper Total Commitment and useful miler Shimmering, so there are mixed messages about her chances of showing much improvement over ten furlongs.
Ermesinde was third to Savethelastdance in the Cheshire Oaks on her last start, albeit 25 lengths behind the winner, who went on to run a close second to Soul Sister in the Oaks.
The Kevin Philippart de Foy-trained filly, owned by Venice Consulting and Partners, was bred by Kildaragh Stud and is by Derby and Arc hero Golden Horn out of Eye Witness, an unraced Adlerflug half-sister to stakes winners Eagle Rise, Echoes Rock, Even Song and Eye Of The Tiger, from the family of Singapore Cup scorer Epalo. A lack of stamina should be no concern here.
Cheveley Park Stud homebred Conservationist comes into the race on the back of finishing second in a Haydock handicap over a mile, but the Clive Cox-trained filly is bred to be better than that.
Whether she is bred to excel over ten furlongs is another matter, though. She is by champion sprinter Muhaarar, who does admittedly tend to transmit more stamina than might have been expected, out of Zuhoor Baynoona, a daughter of July Cup winner Elnadim who was a Listed winner over five furlongs.
The dam is a half-sister to top sprinter Hello Youmzain, but also Deutsches Derby third Royal Youmzain and accomplished hurdler Saglawy, and the wider family encompasses middle-distance stars Slip Anchor and Sandmason, so there is hope for her staying. Indeed, former Abingdon Stakes winner Sardonic is also a distant relation.
Elegancia comes into the contest as a twice-raced maiden, not even having made the first three on either start, but presumably trainers Harry and Roger Charlton and owners St Albans Bloodstock have seen something in her work at home to make them think she is black-type class in spite of what she has shown on the track.
She certainly has a classy pedigree, anyway. The daughter of Lope De Vega was bred by Lordship Stud out of So Sleek, a winning Lawman half-sister to Park Hill Stakes winner Silk Sari, who in turn was out of So Silk, an unraced daughter of Rainbow Quest and Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Gossamer, a full-sister to Barathea.
All in all it is a pleasingly classy and competitive first renewal of the Agnes Keyser Stakes at Goodwood, which in its previous guises of the Ballymacoll Stud Stakes, Lord Weinstock Memorial Stakes and Abingdon Stakes at Newbury was won by future Group 1 winners Great Heavens, Sea Of Class and Speedy Boarding.
The race’s roll of honour also features some names that would go on to have a serious impact on the breed, not least 1993 winner Rainbow Lake, who produced top-notchers Last Train, Powerscourt and Riposte, as well as the dual Listed-winning sprinter Kind – better known as the dam of Frankel, sire of this year's hot favourite Al Asifah.