Aidan O’Brien’s two-year-old filly Rhododendron absolutely bolted up in yesterday’s Group-One Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket, and perhaps the return to the good-to-firm ground she experienced at Goodwood was key.
By that logic you’d have to mark up the form of the second at Goodwood, Amabilis, who runs in a fairly lowly fillies’ nursery race on today’s Newmarket card.
She was less than two lengths behind Rhododendron at Goodwood and we backed her next time out at Newbury in what has turned out to be a hot renewal of the Washington Singer Stakes, where she only managed third of four but did beat a subsequent winner in Frankuus.
The winner of that race, Escobar, did bomb at Newmarket next time out, but it was too bad to be true and he scoped dirty afterwards so we shouldn’t penalise the form.
Amabilis was beaten half a length on début by Dabyah, who placed second in Group One company in France last weekend, so there’s a strong look to her form on the whole.
Today’s race is a handicap and, despite being up at the top of the weights, she is looks to be on a very competitive mark given those collateral form-lines – a view echoed by her jockey Fran Berry:
“I’m hoping that there’s plenty of upside to Amabilis’ mark of 85, especially in a fillies’ nursery.
“She worked hard to get up on the line at Beverley and dead-heat the last day, showing a good, determined attitude and I think it should have done her confidence some good.
“Her earlier form is strong as she was second to Marcel Boussac third Dabyah and Rhododendron on her first two starts before finishing third in a Listed race at Newbury and I think she’s on a very fair mark.”
At 8/1 I’m keen to get involved.
1pt win Amabilis @8/1, 14:20 Newmarket, Saturday (SkyBet, free bet if 2nd or 3rd)
Leave a comment