RACING: Chic can turn on the style in the Stan James Online Hungerford Stakes at Newbury today.
The four-year-old filly has plenty of ability but has not had the best of luck in Group races so far. However, she can put that right with victory over the straight seven furlongs at the Berkshire track.
Successful in a Listed contest at Ascot last season, she had a nasty experience over the same course at the royal meeting this summer when she was nearly brought down two furlongs out in the Group Two Windsor Forest Stakes.
Given time to recover from that, Chic returned for the Glorious Goodwood meeting in the Group Three Oak Tree Stakes, putting up an eye-catching display when a strong-finishing third to Phantom Wind.
The Sussex track would not have been ideal for her, but this straight seven furlongs should suit her down to the ground and a Group Three win can finally come her way.
Mubtaker appears to have frightened away most of the opposition in the Stan James Geoffrey Freer Stakes, which he can take for the third year running by beating three rivals.
Although he has not raced since getting within three-quarters of a length of Dalakhani in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe last October, he ought to be fit enough to do himself justice.
Meanwhile, brilliant filly Ouija Board will face no more than 11 rivals in the Yorkshire Oaks on the Knavesmire next Wednesday.
Lord Derby's dual Oaks winner faces a possible rematch with both Punctilious and Hazarista in the Group One contest after the pair chased her home at the Curragh last month.
The latter, trained by John Oxx, will have Michael Kinane aboard and is one of five entries from Ireland, the others being Danelissima, My Renee and Aidan O'Brien's pair Kisses For Me and Royal Tigress.
However, the Ballydoyle handler's All Too Beautiful, who finished runner-up to Ouija Board in the Epsom classic, was not among the five-day confirmations.
Attraction's bid for more Group One glory looks increasingly unlikely to happen after a storm hit Deauville.
The ground at the French track had already been causing concern for connections and the downpour added to their worries ahead of tomorrow's Prix Jacques Le Marois.
Conditions are now heavy, and trainer Mark Johnston's wife, Deirdre, said: "The owner is very worried about the ground."
