1m4f Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) (Fillies) (Class 1) (3yo)
The Ribblesdale looks pretty wide-open with many of the runners having some sort of form angle with those fillies that contested the Oaks. With it being that wide-open, I’m not too keen to take a short price as both Sea Silk Road and Magical Lagoon have some questions to answer on fast ground.
The two of interest for me at bigger prices are Life Of Dreams and MUKKADDAMAH. Life Of Dreams finished a plugging on second to Emily Upjohn in the Musidora Stakes at York. Emily Upjohn is clearly a top-class filly and the bare form of that second looks pretty strong from Life Of Dreams who was running in only her second start. But she wasn’t miles ahead of several fillies in behind her and all of those horses have since disappointed in their subsequent races to give the form a pretty average look to it.
Life Of Dreams is of course entitled to improve, but the form Mukkaddamah appears to have much more substance to it. Her opening win on the all-weather back in January was quite impressive as she was left in the stalls losing six lengths on the field yet still managed to win.
Mukkaddamah then opened her campaign with a strong performance over a mile at Ascot on fast ground behind a decent Gosden filly in Grand Dame. But her most impressive piece of form was her third run when finishing a few lengths behind Oaks third, Nashwa.
Mukkadamah was ultimately done for pace in that Oaks trial over 1m 2f before staying on pretty well for third. The second, Stay Alert, has since come out and also franked the form and the first three ended up pulling 10 lengths clear of anything else.
The selection didn’t have a hard race and the yard won this race with Eshaada last year. Mukkadamah looks the type to progress up in trip and she is a great value play into this race
1pt win Mukaddamah @7/1, 15:40 Royal Ascot, Thursday
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