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Racing News |
Ebor Heroine Sesenta Has Doncaster Options
04/09/09
Top Irish trainer Willie Mullins is eying another Yorkshire prize for Ebor heroine Sesenta, who is being aimed at either the £100,000 Group Two DFS Park Hill Stakes or the £100,000 Group Two DFS Doncaster Cup on Town Moor this week.
Sesenta is among 18 fillies and mares entered for the DFS Park Hill Stakes (3.45pm) over an extended mile and three-quarters, the feature race on DFS Ladies Day, Thursday, September 10, day two of the Ladrokes St Leger Festival at Doncaster. The historic two and a quarter-mile DFS Doncaster Cup takes place the following day.
The five-year-old mare - one of seven Irish-trained entries - clinched the prestigious Ebor handicap at York on August 19, defeating the Aidan O’Brien-trained Ladbrokes St Leger hope Changingoftheguard by a head.
Mullins revealed today: “I will have a close look at the entries for the DFS Park Hill Stakes before deciding where Sesenta goes. I also have her in the DFS Doncaster Cup so at the moment I’m considering both of those races.
“She appears to have come out of the Ebor well and I’d be keen to contest either one of those two Doncaster races, whichever is most suitable after I’ve looked at the entries and taken the ground into consideration.”
The DFS Park Hill Stakes, often referred to as the “fillies’ St Leger”, has a prestigious history and this year’s renewal has attracted the usual array of classy fillies. Among the entry is the John Oxx-trained Roses For The Lady who was last seen filling the runner-up berth behind Sariska in the Group One Darley Irish Oaks in July.
Oxx could also saddle the Aga Khan’s Tanoura, who landed the Listed Galtres Stakes at York in August.
Aidan O’Brien has engaged Group Three winner Tamarind, Listed scorer Perfect Truth and Chirkova, while Dermot Weld has entered Grace O’Malley, who defeated Tanoura to win a Cork Group Three in June prior to finishing fourth in the Darley Irish Oaks.
The Roger Charlton-trained Clowance could make her first racecourse appearance since finishing fourth behind Look Here in the Oaks at Epsom in June, 2008.
The Henry Cecil-trained Sevenna won the Group Three Moet Hennessy Fillies’ Stakes over 14 furlongs at Goodwood in July. The Lucy Wadham-trained Cassique Lady was runner-up that day, with Victoria Montoya third and Princess Taylor fourth.
A strong French entry consists of the Aga Khan-owned pair of Shemima and Winkle. The former, trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre, is a dual Group Three winner, while the Mikel Delzangles-trained Winkle was a short-head runner-up in the Group Two Prix Maurice de Nieuil at Deauville in July.
Also engaged are Eastern Aria, Mischief Making, Starfala and Epsom Oaks fifth The Miniver Rose.
The fantastic seven-race card on Thursday, September 10, also features the lucrative Weatherbys Insurance £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes (3.10pm), which has 66 two-year-olds engaged, including the Brian Meehan-trained Radiohead, successful in the Group Two Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot and third against his elders in the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes at York.
The Richard Hannon-trained Group Three winner Monsieur Chevalier could also take his chance in the extended six-furlong race, while Godolphin’s quintet includes Group Two Richmond Stakes runner-up Buzzword.
The O’Brien-trained trio among the entries consists of Group One Phoenix Stakes runner-up Air Chief Marshal, Beethoven (fifth that day) and Dynasty.
Another notable contest is the £40,000 Listed Japan Racing Association Sceptre Stakes (4.50pm) over seven furlongs. The race has attracted 22 entries, notably the Luca Cumani-trained Fantasia, third in the Group One Poule d’Essai des Pouliches at Longchamp in May and off the course since disappointing in the Group One Prix de Diane in June.
Thursday’s action commences at 2pm with the £10,500 crownhotel-bawtry.com EBF Maiden over a mile, which is followed by the 10-furlong £25,000 Robinsons Designer Fashion At Bawtry Handicap (2.35pm).
Also on the card is the £40,000 EBF Carrie Red Fillies’ Nursery (4.20pm) over an extended six furlongs and the six-furlong £15,000 Meadowhall Fabulous Fashionista Handicap (5.25pm).
CURRENT DONCASTER GOING
Straight course: Good, Good to Firm in places
Round Course: Good
The weekend forecast is for mainly dry conditions with the chance of rain arriving on Sunday evening.
