RAGSAH has a fighting chance of scooping top honours in the EBF Bosra Sham Fillies’ Stakes at Newmarket.
Godolphin’s filly has only won once this season, but that statistic would have been increasingly bolstered had Lady Luck been on her side.
Saeed bin Suroor’s juvenile has finished second on three other outings, including on her debut behind Sweet Cecily, who reopposes in this Listed heat.
Although no match for Richard Hannon’s representative on that occasion, she has improved out of sight since that pipe-opener in June.
Her second-place finish in the Firth of Clyde at Ayr neatly emphasises that point, as Ragsah finished a brave second, staying on strongly inside the final furlong.
Her best effort to date, however, was in the Group One Cheveley Park, over course and distance, in which she finished fourth from a wide position.
That effort was all the more laudable as her path was blocked two furlongs from home before she discovered daylight and galloped strongly towards the line.
While seemingly destined to get a mile next season, she is certainly not short of pace and looks the stand-out selection in this eminently winnable affair.
Crucially, the chestnut daughter of Shamardal will be able to handle whatever conditions come her way at Headquarters.
Zahoo should also go well in the EBF Newmarket Racecourses Thanks John Taylor Fillies’ Handicap.
John Dunlop’s filly remains competitive off a mark of 82, and will be in her element stepping back up to a mile and a half.
Unsuited by a lackadaisical pace over 10 furlongs at Doncaster last time, expect this textbook hold-up performer to come fast and late under Tadhg O’Shea.
Although Dunlop’s Calatrava Cape will no doubt be all the rage in the hands of Ryan Moore, Zahoo could be the value call.
Good racing at Wetherby, from where Domtaline can win the Weatherbys Bank Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle.
The three-year-old French-bred made a ruthless British debut earlier this month at Chepstow when he sluiced home by 25 lengths, jumping pretty coolly from the outset.
It was prescient that Nicholls was quick to earmark this Listed heat as being the next race to continue his development.
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