bet365 Fillies' Mile report: Pretty Gorgeous lands spoils
5/2 favourite Pretty Gorgeous, denied a run in last week's Prix Marcel Boussac because of the contaminated feed drama, gained compensation when landing the bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket.
Joseph O'Brien's charge made smooth headway under Shane Crosse to hit the front a furlong out but she had to dig deep upon meeting the rising ground.
May Hill heroine Indigo Girl found her stride and finished to good effect, but was never quite going to get to her rival, going down by half-a-length.
It initially appeared Snowfall (50/1) ran a huge race in third, though, in a remarkable twist hot on the heels of Aidan O'Brien having to pull his horses out of the big Arc meeting last weekend, it later emerged that there had been an almighty mix-up with the Ballydoyle horses, saddle cloths and jockeys, and the filly who filled third was in fact Mother Earth.
O’Brien junior had previously taken the Fillies' Mile in 2018 with Iridessa and said: “It’s fantastic and I thought Shane gave the filly a great ride.
“He was patient on her and committed when he had to. Shane is a young man, but he is a very good rider – strong and cool in a finish, and he doesn’t panic. She was fighting them off at the line.
“She has got a great constitution. She went to France last weekend and came back. The lad that rides her out at home said she had taken the journey well and was in good shape, and all credit goes to them as they said she would come here with every chance.
“I was quite worried myself and I had a good conversation with Mr (John) Oxley during the week and he was keen enough that if she was in good shape that we would take the chance and let her run.
“The way it worked out the French race looked a tough race and the ground was nicer here. She has won her Group One and whether that was here or France, I wouldn’t be fussy. It has worked out well in the end.”
He went on: “She is an exciting filly going forwards. I would think (the 1000 Guineas) is the obvious target now. She has the options of the Breeders’ Cup, but we will probably decide to put her away for the season.
“She is a Lawman, so she would not be bred to go very far. I think Lawman’s can get 10 furlongs and I see her more as an eight to 10-furlong filly rather than an Oaks-type filly at this stage.”
Of Indigo Girl, John Gosden said: “It was a great run and I’m very happy with her. Her mother won the French St Leger and her sister won a Group One over a mile and a half. She will be trained more for a mile and a quarter and middle-distance races. She won’t be trained as a Guineas filly.”
Sky Bet, Paddy Power and Betfair all make the winner a 6/1 chance for next year's QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
Sky Bet Head of Sports PR Michael Shinners said: "Pretty Gorgeous showed real guts and determination to win what looked a very strong race. She showed her class and she looks set to be ante post favourite over the winter for the 1000 Guineas."