Keatley’s filly looks value bet at Ripon

QUEEN OF RIO looks a value bet to pick up a strong renewal of the EBF Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy Stakes.

The Adrian Keatley-trained filly has scored once in her three outings to date, but she has run with credit on every occasion.

A winner over five furlongs at Ripon on her racecourse bow, she was then pitched into a Listed race at Newbury in the middle of this month, and there was encouragement to take from her sixth-placed finish behind a whole host of useful types with the winner Zoetic in contention for the Cheveley Park and third home Santosha having been placed behind Campanelle at Royal Ascot.

From there connections opted to go to York’s Ebor meeting for another Listed event, where she was just touched off by the decidedly useful Acklam Express.

She steps up to six furlongs at the Garden Racecourse, and that looks like being a plus on what she has shown so far, with give in the ground not an issue.

It is also worth bearing in mind recently-relocated North Yorkshirebased Irishman Keatley knows what he is doing with a good filly, as witnessed by his exploits with Irish 1,000 Guineas heroine Jet Setting.

SELECTIONS

RIPON: 12.15 King Of Spirits, 12.45 Intello Boy, 1.20 Danyah, 1.50 QUEEN OF RIO (NAP), 2.20 Sarvan, 2.55 Fox Kasper, 3.30 Little Ted, 4.05 Spirit Dancer, 4.35 Menin Gate.

SANDOWN: 3.00 Prospect, 3.35 Arecibo, 4.10 Tricolore, 4.45 Cider Apple, 5.15 Eye Of The Water, 5.50 Al Namir, 6.25 Moomba, 6.55 Cuttin’ Edge, 7.30 Mephisto.

SOUTHWELL: 12.00 Courtesy, 12.35 De Bruyne Horse, 1.10 Outrun The Storm, 1.40 Frame Rate, 2.10 Loose Chippings, 2.40 Young Tiger, 3.15 Alminoor, 3.50 Final Legacy, 4.25 Born Leader

DOUBLE: Queen Of Rio and Danyah.