William Haggas was responsible for training one of the best recent winners of the Weatherbys/British EBF Agnes Keyser Fillies' Stakes in the exceptionally gifted but ill-fated Sea Of Class, and he is triple-handed in this year’s race with Purple Rainbow, Anna Swan and Rhapsody.

Purple Rainbow, carrying the royal silks, is by Night Of Thunder, an increasingly prolific source of stakes winners, and is a half-sister to Perfect Alibi, who won the Beckford Stakes at York and ran second in the March Stakes at Goodwood. She is out of Daphne, a Listed-winning Duke Of Marmalade half-sister to Wolferton Handicap runner-up Bold Sniper, and from a family that has been nurtured by the Royal Studs since the 1960s.

Cheveley Park Stud homebred Anna Swan is by European champion Almanzor and is the first foal out of Vivionn, a daughter of Dubawi who rose through the handicap ranks to finish second in the Park Hill Stakes and the Galtres Stakes, twice. Vivionn’s dam Giants Play was a US Grade 2 winner by Giant’s Causeway and out of Fillies’ Mile heroine Playful Act, who in turn was a Sadler’s Wells three-parts sister to another brilliant winner of the Agnes Keyser Stakes, the subsequent Irish Oaks victress Great Heavens.

Rhapsody, bred by Lynn Lodge Stud and campaigned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, is meanwhile from the first crop of world champion Ghaiyyath and out of Soul Searcher, a daughter of Motivator who was Listed-placed over 12 furlongs. With all that stamina in her pedigree she should be staying on when others are tiring.

John and Thady Gosden, whose Clarehaven Stables were home to five previous winners of the Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes, including Great Heavens, field two fillies in this year’s renewal: namely the beautifully well bred pair Queen Of Thieves and El Budoor.

Anthony Oppenheimer’s homebred Queen Of Thieves is a Frankel full-sister to the owner-breeder’s great champion Cracksman, descended from 1,000 Guineas and Sussex Stakes winner On The House. Fun fact: Frankel’s maternal granddam Rainbow Lake won the Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes in 1993. 

El Budoor, a homebred for Shadwell, is by Kingman and is the first foal out of Enbihaar, a daughter of Redoute’s Choice who won five Group 2 races over middle distances and stamina tests. She is another who should stay well.

Night Of Thunder is doubly represented as a sire in today’s contest, as he is also responsible for one of the highest-rated fillies in the line-up in Miss Tonnerre, bred by Fair Salinia Ltd and trained by the in-form Ed Walker for John Pearce Racing. She is a half-sister to Chesham Stakes runner-up Pearling Path out of Sacrifice My Soul, a Listed-placed Nayef half-sister to Australian Group 1 winner I’m Your Man.

New Bay, like Night Of Thunder a Classic-winning son of Dubawi doing well at stud, also has two fillies declared for this year’s Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes, in Janey Mackers and Bowerchalke.

Janey Mackers, trained by David Menuisier for AJ Walls, was bred by Epona Bloodstock and is a half-sister to Fierospeed, a smart stayer in Qatar, out of Stor Mo Chroi, an unraced Montjeu half-sister to middle-distance stakes winners Cameron Highland and Solid Stone. Stamina should be no concern for her either.

Bowerchalke will be saddled by Jane Chapple-Hyam for her owner-breeder James Wigan, who bred and owned New Bay’s best offspring Bay Bridge, and co-owned another top-notcher by the sire in Saffron Beach. She is out of Ebbesbourne, who finished second in the Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes in 2017, and traces back to Wigan’s Prix Marcel Boussac winner and Prix Royal-Oak runner-up Sulk.

Waardah, by another son of Dubawi in Postponed, who after a slow start as a Flat sire has come to fore lately with stakes winners Ambiente Amigo and Amiloc, is out of Neesaan, a daughter of New Approach who descends from Ballymacoll Stud’s blue hen Hellenic. She is trained by Owen Burrows for Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum.

Camelot, one of the best sources of stamina around, is represented in today’s race by the Ralph Beckett-trained Tattycoram, a half-sister to Windsor Castle Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes second Johannes Brahms, by the speedier influence Siyouni. She was bred by her owner Chasemore Farm, which also bred Chesham Stakes winner Arthur Kitt from Camelot.

Study Of Man, who is emerging as the next great stamina sire in Europe, is also represented, through Kirsten Rausing’s homebred Quebella. The filly, trained by Richard Hughes, is out of Quintada, a three-time winner with a slightly unusual pedigree, being by Leroidesanimaux and out of Premio Lydia Tesio winner Quiza Quiza Quiza, a rare good one in Europe by Golden Snake.

Modern Utopia, another of today’s Agnes Keyser Fillies’ Stakes hopefuls, is trained by George Scott for Airlie Stud and the Niarchos family, who bred and raced Study Of Man. She hails from the first crop of Prix du Jockey Club and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe hero Sottsass and is a half-sister to US stakes winners Alaura Michele and Isabella Sings. Their Listed-placed dam Isobel Baillie is by Lomitas and related to three-time German Group 1 hero Campanologist.