Minding looking good for tilt at Pretty Polly

MINDING bids to continue her spectacular campaign in a first clash with her elders in today’s Sea The Stars Pretty Polly Stakes.

A dual Group One winner as a juvenile, the beautifully-bred filly picked up where she left off with a scintillating display in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

She suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Jet Setting in the Irish equivalent at the Curragh three weeks later, but righted that wrong in brilliant fashion in the Oaks at Epsom (below) and faces older horses for the first time over the intermediate distance of a mile and a quarter at the Curragh.

‘I’ve been happy with her since the Oaks and she seems to have come out of Epsom well,’ said O’Brien. ‘It’s possible that she could go to Goodwood for the Nassau Stakes after this, and Even Song (Ribblesdale Stakes winner) could go for the Irish Oaks.’

Minding faces just four opponents, each of which must concede her almost a stone due to the weight-for-age allowance.

There are two challengers from Britain, with Luca Cumani’s Middleton Stakes runner-up Koora joined by the James Fanshawe-trained Speedy Boarding. The latter claimed the Group Two Prix Corrida at SaintCloud last month, but her trainer admits she has more on her plate this weekend. Fanshawe said: ‘It’s a step up for her after winning at SaintCloud a few weeks ago, but she’s in good shape and worked nicely last weekend. We’ll see what she can do, but she will need to raise her game to beat a filly like Minding.’ Jessica Harrington is looking forward to saddling Bocca Bacciata, who was fourth against the boys in the Tattersalls Gold Cup on her most recent start. Harrington said: ‘I was hoping for a bit of nice ground. Whether we get it or not, we’ll have to wait and see. She is in very good form, so we’ll let her take her chance. ‘She didn’t disgrace herself in the Tattersalls Gold Cup and if we can finish in the first three we’ll be thrilled.’ Lucida from Jim Bolger’s yard completes the line-up.