by Martin Stevens

Royal Dress, a Group 3 and Listed scorer trained by James Tate for Night Of Thunder’s original racing owner Saeed Manana, is a half-sister to Group 2-placed Wedding Dance out of Wadaa, a winning daughter of Dynaformer and Nell Gwyn Stakes victress Cloud Castle. In turn, Cloud Castle was by In The Wings and out of Manana’s blue-hen mare Lucayan Princess, also the dam of top-notchers Luso, Needle Gun and Warrsan.

Night Of Thunder’s other runner in the race is Charlotte’s Web, a fine third in the Hoppings Fillies’ Stakes at Newcastle recently. She is the first foal out of Chamundi Hills, a placed Lope De Vega half-sister to dual Group 3 winner Luminate from the further family of the brilliant champion Kalanisi. The Simon and Ed Crisford-trained four-year-old was bred by Godolphin and carries the silks of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum.

Night Of Thunder’s sire Dubawi is represented in the Weatherbys Hamilton Pipalong Stakes by the beautifully well-bred Group 3-placed five-year-old Imperial Quarter, who is in the care of Roger Varian for owner and breeder Ali Saeed. She is a full-sister to Prix Hocquart winner Al Hilalee and a half-sister to Prix Vermeille heroine Teona out of the Group 1-winning Authorized mare Ambivalent.

Kirsten Rausing’s Listed-winning and Group 3-placed four-year-old Francophone is also in possession of a pretty nifty pedigree. She is a Study Of Man full-sister to Saturday’s Coral Distaff third Suite Francaise out of Francophilia, a winning daughter of Frankel and German Group 1 winner Lady Jane Digby. She is trained by Charlie Johnston, whose father Mark oversaw the careers of Francophilia and Lady Jane Digby.

Vicario might be one of the lower-rated fillies or mares in the contest, having run third in a Class 3 handicap at York last time out, but she is similarly blueblooded. Brightwalton Bloodstock’s homebred four-year-old, trained by Ed Walker, is a Lope De Vega half-sister to the same connections’ Prix de l’Abbaye winner Makarova out of Vesnina, a winning Sea The Stars half-sister to Group 3 scorers Marenko and Potapova. Her third dam is the great racemare Russian Rhythm.

Lope De Vega’s promising young sire son Phoenix Of Spain is the source of another outsider in the race, in last month’s Kensington Palace Stakes third Cheshire Dancer, who is trained by Hugo Palmer for Manor House Stables Syndicate. Cheshire Dancer was bred by Ciara Eglington out of the winning Xaar mare Kristal Xenia, also the dam of Italian Listed scorers Cherie Good, Lollipop Girl and Val Nanda.

The highest rated runners in the race, and likely favourites, are Group 3-winning and Group 1-placed Soprano and likeable four-time Listed scorer Sparks Fly.

Soprano, a four-year-old trained by George Boughey for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, is by Starspangledbanner and was bred by Empire Bloodstock out of Lealas Daughter, an unraced Exceed And Excel half-sister to multiple US Grade 1 winner Obviously.

Sparks Fly is by champion sprinter Muhaarar and is a half-sister to Queen Mary Stakes third Caroline Dale and multiple scorer Baby Steps, out of the winning Tagula mare Stepping Out. The five-year-old is in the care of Dave Loughnane for breeder David Lowe.

Smart handicappers Gaiety Musical, Julia Augusta and Tropical Island complete the field.

Gaiety Musical, representing the axis of breeders Maurice and Theresa Burns of Rathasker Stud and trainer David and his wife Emma, is by Rathasker’s dependable budget sire Gregorian and out of the winning Exceed And Excel mare Broadway Musical, a relation to Group/Grade 1-winning siblings Dank, Eagle Mountain and Sulk.

Julia Augusta, trained by David O’Meara for Jimmy Chua, was bred by Denniff Farms in partnership with Cheveley Park Stud, who stands her sire Ulysses. She is out of the unraced Paco Boy mare Empress Livia, who hails from the family of champion Poet’s Word.

Tropical Island, bred by Richard Tucker and trained by Richard Fahey for Clara Stud and Partner, is by Inns Of Court and out of the three-time winner Kodi Da Capo, by Kodiac. Invincible Spirit, the sire of Inns Of Court, and Kodiac are half-brothers, so the four-year-old filly’s pedigree features an interesting 3x3 duplication of the stallions' dam, Prix de Diane victress Rafha.