1pt win Chic Colombine @6/1, 1pt win Sea Of Thieves @12/1, 14:00 Epsom, Saturday

1m½f (1m113y) Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Sponsored By My Pension Expert) (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) (Class 1) (3yo+)

There are a few in here that have similarish looking claims and the field is fairly closely matched on official ratings. The favourite Running Lion was pulled out of the Oaks here last year, and seemed to throw away the race on her seasonal reappearance at Newmarket last time out where she hung badly dowm the dip. I therefore have my doubts about how she will handle this track with that run fresh in the memory and her strike rate is hardly one to tempt you into piling in at odds of 2/1.

Breege always tends to go close in these types of contests without ever really winning whereas there may be more to come from her conqueror last time out Royal Undress. Although I have my doubts about the substance of her latest win at odds of 33/1 even if she appeared to have improved visually from age three to four.

Instead the two fillies that make most appeal are two runners with form in France from the start of this season.

The first case is compelling and for an improving three-year-old who is getting 12lbs from almost the entire field. CHIC COLOMBINE has some very classy looking form in the book having finished fourth in the Oh So Sharp Staked behind Oaks second Dance Sequence as a juvenile. Chic Colombine won four times during that campaign in spite of clearly having a three-year-old’s pedigree and she backed up that theory with a facile Listed contest on heavy ground on her comeback run, most certainly a career best. She then went into the French 1000 Guineas last time out, but ran far too freely to have a chance in that race from the widest draw.

Whilst most of Chic Colombine’s best performances have been in deep ground, she has won on good ground and I think conditions will be fine for this progressive filly who is having her first attempt over a trip longer than mile in a lower grade. William Buick is also 3-3 when riding her and with him being back in the saddle she’s an attractive proposition.

I was going to just have only one in the race but having looked closely at her, I think SEA OF THIEVES may have a lot more ability than she has shown so far in her career. This lightly-raced four-year-old has just had the six starts, but ran in very good Group 3 company at Ascot last year when not quite seeing out her race. Her trainer said she actually took a bad bump in that race which set her back mentally for the rest of the season and so there is every chance that the best is yet to come.

This daughter of Cracksman looked very strong in her opening start of the campaign season for her new yard at Longchamp coming from near last to first over a 7f trip on very soft ground to win a shade cosily last month. The second in that race has since romped home to win a Group 3 and the third has also franked the form by running well next time out.

Sea Of Thieves looks like she will enjoy stepping back up in trip and I think she could be primed for a big run with leading french jockey, Christian Demuro, coming over for just this sole ride at Epsom.

1pt win Chic Colombine @6/1, 4:00 Epsom, Saturday
1pt win Sea Of Thieves @12/1, 14:00 Epsom, Saturday

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