Midday and Snow Fairy to clash in Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday
Two of the best fillies in training, MIDDAY and Snow Fairy, are set to lock horns in a mouth-watering renewal of the Stobart Ireland Pretty Polly Stakes at The Curragh on Saturday.
Dual Oaks heroine Snow Fairy wound up 2010 by landing valuable Group One races in the Far East, and it’s great to see that connections have elected to keep her in training as a four-year-old. However, Ed Dunlop’s charge was put in her place by the year older Midday when they clashed in the Yorkshire Oaks last summer, and I expect the outcome to be the same this weekend.
The Sir Henry Cecil-trained filly gave weight and a decisive beating to her seven rivals on her reappearance at York’s Dante meeting and lost no caste in defeat when runner-up to St Nicholas Abbey in the Coronation Cup at Epsom subsequently. Conditions are ideal for the daughter of Oasis Dream and while she’s a shade of odds-on, at around the 4-5 mark Midday isn’t bad value.
Indeed, while Snow Fairy is effective over this 1¼m trip, it’s fair to say she’s better over 1½m, and she will be vulnerable on her first start for six months against a race-fit Midday. On this occasion, I rate Misty For Me, one of four fillies representing the Classic generation in this prestigious contest.
Misty For Me ran no sort of a race on her return to action in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket, but duly bounced back when landing the Irish equivalent at this track last month. She then ran a solid race when fifth in the Oaks at Epsom where she shaped as though dropping to this trip will be ideal. In receipt of 12lb from Midday, Aidan O’Brien’s contender will pose a threat for sure.