1m½f (1m113y) Princess Elizabeth Stakes (Group 3) (Fillies & Mares) (Sponsored By Chapel Down) (Class 1) (3yo+)
Conditions could be pretty testing tomorrow and that could suit Sparks Fly who finished third in this race last year. But it’ll be tough to give weight all-round in a race which can often be tight at the finish and while she sets the standard, she is one of the more exposed runners in here.
PACIFIC MISSION could kick-on significantly from her seasonal reappearance. Her two-year-old form saw her finish second in both the Group 2 May Hill Stakes and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, shaping like a high-class miler with a potent turn of foot. That level of form — RPRs around 103–105 — puts her firmly in the mix here considering she gets 15lbs in weight allowance from Sparks Fly and 12lbs from the three-year-olds in the field.
She was not knocked about on her York run last month where she raced prominently and only to fade late after a 196-day break, which strongly suggests she needed the outing. Andrew Balding’s runners often improve significantly for their first run of the season, and her trainer is in decent form. By Lope De Vega, her pedigree suggests she should fine in soft ground.
Another of the more interesting ones in here is PINA SONATA for James Fanshawe.Stakes. Her first run at the season represented a Listed success at Kempton where she had to find 13-14lbs on her market rivals. She won that fairly comfortable to show she is still progressing and in form which more than you can say for a fair few of these. That was only her sixth start, so there may still be more improvement to come, especially now she is a four-year-old and therefore more mature considering she used to be really keen in her races.
There are a reasons to believe Epsom could suit her by Pinatubo out of a Galileo mare, so a mile and a bit should not be beyond her. And whilst her form is still well below several of these, she looks a bit of value and a possibly improver here.
1pt win Pacific Mission @11/2, 1pt win Pina Sonata 13/2, 14:05 Epsom, Saturday
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