She’s Got You still has the better of handicapper
She’s Got You can give John Gosden another nice prize today by winning the Listed Ladbrokes Home Of The Odds Boost EBF Fleur De Lys Fillies’ Stakes at Lingfield.
Lightly raced, the daughter of Kingman out of the smart mare Without You Babe, was narrowly beaten in a similar contest at Newmarket last time out.
That was a career-best by some way, despite winning her two previous races, and she is by far the least exposed running in this contest.
The handicapper raised her another 3.2kg for that, which is neither here nor there because a filly with her pedigree will now be chasing black type.
With a win at Wolverhampton to her name, all-weather surfaces clearly hold no fears - and despite having his string in top form since April, Gosden continues to bang in the winners.
The Ladbrokes River Eden Fillies’ Stakes also holds Listed status, and Aidan O’Brien's Delphinia can surely grab a first black-type success.
Her season has been thoroughly consistent, but she is without a win since a Galway maiden last September.
She has been placed in the Park Hill Stakes, Prix de Royallieu and British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes.
That last effort was undoubtedly her best performance, because she pushed Star Catcher - a filly who has dominated the division this season - to a short head.
Delphinia had looked a bit short of speed over a 2400m against the very best, but the testing ground was clearly in her favour on Champions Day.
However, with an extra 200m to cover this time and markedly down in class, she can surely gain an overdue success.
Secret Acquisition can get off the mark at the third attempt in the 32Red.com Novice Auction Stakes at Kempton.
Daniel Kubler’s filly has shaped well to finish second in both of her starts to date - and unless one of the newcomers is above average, she will take all the beating.
Second over 1400m on debut at Wolverhampton, she filled the same spot when upped to 1600m at Kempton.
While she is no superstar, she should win her share of races.
William Haggas will have been pleased with the debut run of It Had To Be You when third at Chelmsford.
The winner, Dubai Icon, looks very useful - and James Doyle was not hard on the son of Frankel once the bird had flown.
It is fair to assume that, with experience under his belt, this colt out of Group One winner Fallen For You will be a different proposition altogether. –