Soprano aiming to hit Pipalong high notes
However, the four-year-old was too keen to do herself justice in the Group Two Duke of Cambridge Stakes and weakened to finish last of seven behind Crimson Advocate, who she had beaten on her previous outing.
Harry Herbert, managing director for Soprano's owners Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, said: 'She's in great form and looks absolutely fantastic, the best she's looked this year I think.
'Sadly we had a disaster at Royal Ascot when she ran with the choke out for more than half the race and obviously didn't get home, so she doesn't need to do that again.
'She was just too fresh going into that race but she's well, Billy (Loughnane) knows her very well and while it's a tough race giving weight away at Pontefract, I think she'll be very competitive.
'We had beaten the winner at Ascot the time before so it was frustrating what happened, she beat herself on the day. She thrives on racing and we probably should have given her another run, but it's easy in hindsight.
'George and the team closest to her think she's bang on for this to run a big race.'
Soprano heads a field of 11 fillies and mares declared for Pontefract's Listed feature, with Dave Loughnane's Sparks Fly and Royal Dress from James Tate's yard among her rivals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
12 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Do Or Do Not aiming to build on Ascot effort at Newmarket
'It's a very different track to Ascot and he was doing some very good work late on there, but he's not short of speed and showed plenty of speed at York before that and he's a horse who has undoubtedly surprised us,' said Walker. SERIOUS HORSE! GSTAAD WINS THE COVENTRY STAKES! #RoyalAscot — At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 17, 2025 'He's a very laid-back horse who is quite hard to assess at home, but he's fit and well and he looks great, so I hope he can go and back up that Ascot performance. 'He's got a wonderful temperament which is often half the battle and Ascot was only his third start so he could be able to improve on it and he came out of the Coventry really well, so we'll see how we go.' The top of the market for the Group Two is dominated by Charlie Appleby's Maximized and Aidan O'Brien's Brussels, who both sidestepped the Royal meeting but have hinted at being potential top notchers in their respective careers to date. Both head to the July course unbeaten, with the Godolphin candidate seeing the form of his Woodcote win franked by Eve Johnson Houghton's Epsom runner-up Havana Hurricane in the Windsor Castle at Ascot, while the Ballydoyle raider sprouted wings on his debut to down stablemate and subsequent winner Kansas. Appleby said on the Godolphin website: 'Maximized is two from two, stepping up from his novice to win nicely at Epsom. We gave him a break afterwards, as the plan was always to miss Royal Ascot, and he goes into this in great shape. He is on an upward curve and hopefully the one they all have to beat.' Maximized in full flow at Epsom (Adam Davy/PA) Johnson Houghton is represented on this occasion by Salisbury scorer Zavateri, who like Paul and Oliver Cole's taking Goodwood victor Jel Pepper is one from one and now stepping up significantly in grade. The select field is rounded off by Andrew Balding's Comical Point, who steps up in trip having not been disgraced when fifth in the Norfolk Stakes at Royal Ascot. 'He ran in the Norfolk and I think the step up to six furlongs will suit and he will improve a bit for that as he was definitely doing his best work late on,' said Philip Robinson, racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail. 'Whether that will be good enough to win a race like this I don't know, but I do think the six furlongs will help.'
Rhyl Journal
18 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Thunder ready to roll in Bunbury Cup
Although campaigned at a mile and a quarter when trained by Sir Michael Stoute last season, the four-year-old has thrived back down in trip since joining William Haggas this term, winning his first two starts of the season over six furlongs. He agonisingly missed out on a hat-trick of victories at the distance when a head away from Wokingham glory at the Royal meeting, with connections feeling now is the right time to gradually increase the colt's yardage to seven furlongs. 'I think he will go for the handicap, the Bunbury Cup,' said owner Saeed Suhail's racing manager Philip Robinson. 'I think the seven furlongs will help him and it looks to me like that will be his best trip. We will get to find out and then know where we go from there. 'He was flying at the finish at Ascot and in another stride would probably have got there.' More Thunder is as short as 2-1 for Saturday's £100,000 handicap on the July course, while he also holds an entry for Group events in the coming weeks including the Curragh's Romanised Minstrel Stakes on July 19 and the HKJC World Pool Lennox Stakes during the Qatar Goodwood Festival.
Rhyl Journal
18 hours ago
- Rhyl Journal
Charlton expects York trip to suit Hand Of God
The smart four-year-old excelled over 10 furlongs when striking in the Golden Gates Stakes at Royal Ascot last year and remains lightly raced having been seen just twice since. He stepped up to a mile and a half when a respectable sixth in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes at the latest Royal meeting, but will now swiftly return to a mile and a quarter after feedback from his Ascot rider Buick. Charlton said: 'William got off him at Ascot and just said 'he's run great, I've come there two down like I'm going to win but he hasn't stayed – get back to 10 furlongs'. So, this was the obvious next step on a nice, galloping track over 10 furlongs. 'I think he wasn't quite ready for his seasonal return at Newmarket when he ran. He was ready for Ascot obviously, but we were just running at the wrong trip. So, I'm hoping it lands nicely for him at York on Saturday. 'He's not needed to do too much since Ascot because it's only a 22-day gap, but he seems in good form.'
