Roly Poly proves to be ‘incredible filly’

THERE are few things that take Aidan O’Brien by surprise but the achievements of Roly Poly appeared to have done that following her victory in the Kingdom of Bahrain Sun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket.

Having had to live in the shadow of Winter for much of the year, the daughter of War Front gained her third Group One success to move the Ballydoyle trainer to 23 top-level wins for the season and just two behind the late Bobby Frankel’s world record of 25.

Quickly asserting after breaking smartly, the 4-1 shot showed she has a heart that is much bigger than her diminutive frame when proving a length and a quarter too good for favourite Persuasive, to complete a double for Ryan Moore.

O’Brien said: “She was a very good two-year-old, but she is not a very big filly. You often look at the likes of her and you see them as just as a two-year-old, but she has progressed and progressed. She is an incredible filly.

“I think so (go to Breeders’ Cup), the lads (Coolmore) will decide what they want to do, but her and Rhododendron could be trained for the Filly And Mare race if that’s what the lads want to do.”

He added of being on the brink of reaching Frankel’s record: “It would be incredible for everybody, but the horse always comes first.”

Peter Chapple-Hyam could adopt a familiar route with Just Brilliant (100-30) after he completed Moore’s double when taking division two of the 1st Security Solutions EBF Stallions Novice Stakes by a length.

Chapple-Hyam said of the Trainer Aidan O’Brien 100-30 winner, who is a halfbrother to former Racing Post Trophy winner Marcel: “He is a nice horse for next year. He is not as forward as Marcel was. He is in the Racing Post Trophy.

“We will see how he is after the race as he is still a frame of a horse.”

Malcolm Saunders left the track in much better spirits than 12 months ago after Pixeleen went one better in the British EBF Breeders’ Fillies’ Series Sprint Handicap, battling back to get up by a nose to give jockey Adam Kirby a quickfire double.

Saunders said of the 12-1 winner: “She got done in the last stride last year, which was a bit of a shame, but she has made up for it today.

“There is a fillies’ Listed race back here next week and if she is alright she could come back for that.”

The Charlie Appleby-trained Old Persian (8-11) got the ball rolling for Kirby with a fourand-a-half length victory in division one of the mile novice contest. Roly Poly (right) ridden by Ryan Moore wins at Newmarket