Expert Analysis

An incident-packed closing stages, but one in which the best filly prevailed despite nearly being put through the rail by the eventual third, whose drift off the rail created a gap there until her jockey decided to slam the door in Free Wind’s face. In a bizarre sequel, the jockey on the winner was suspended for 5 days, despite being sinned against rather than sinning, while the jockey on the third escaped any censure at all! The bare form cannot be rated especially highly, in part because of a slow pace which resulted in a 110%+ finishing speed, but both Eshaada and (especially) Free Wind should be posting at least smart efforts on the back of this. 

FREE WIND (107+ here, 113+ previously) did miraculously well to win after being nearly put through the rail by what appeared a deliberate manoeuvre from the jockey on the third to close a gap that had been created when his mounted drifted off it, showing a terrific turn of foot to pull the race out of the fire and marking herself down as one who could well have a say in even bigger races this year.

She tracked the pace and was quickening to challenge when badly hampered just after 2f out, switched and recovering momentum before quickening to lead in the final 1f, still going away at the line. She ended last year with an impressive win in the 14.6f Park Hill Stakes at Doncaster but has all the speed required at this trip, at least when the ground is like this.  

SEA LA ROSA (103 here, 100 previously) ran her best race and looked as if she would win it until Free Wind went past her with a wet sail late on, in second and travelling comfortably, leading over 1f out as her two main rivals collided but edging left and headed in the final 1f and just holding second. She has improved steadily from run to run for most of the last 12 months and could progress again.  

ESHAADA (102+ here, 113 previously) shaped as if as good as ever but suffered from her rider’s careless – or worse – decision to close a gap up the rail created by his filly drifting away from it 3f out, colliding with the eventual winner and losing the lead before rallying late on but just missing second. She ended up winning the Fillies & Mares Stakes on British Champions Day at Ascot last year and that will presumably be the longer-term goal again.

BELIEVE IN LOVE (98 here, 103 previously) ran respectably but is more of a stayer than those who beat her and got into a slowly run affair, held up and making only brief headway before keeping on.

STAY ALERT (98 here, 103 previously) ran respectably after doing herself no favours by pulling hard early, tending to edge left as she was one paced late on.

NELL QUICKLY (95 here, 96 previously) ran as well as could be expected with no excuses, in mid-field until outpaced late on.

KAWIDA (93 here, 104 previously) was disappointing, though it is possible the form behind the first two in The Oaks (in which she was fifth the time before) amounts to less than usual. Here, she was warm beforehand and slowly away, pushed along for a while before then going freely, and cost only a little ground by being short of room over 1f out, finding little thereafter.