Top-class fillies Midday and Snow Fairy feature among a field of eight declared for the Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.
Sir Henry Cecil’s Midday is a five-time winner at Group One level and ran an excellent race to finish second behind St Nicholas Abbey in the Coronation Cup at Epsom at her latest start.
Snow Fairy, trained by Ed Dunlop, had to make do with the runner-up spot behind her reopposing older rival in last year’s Yorkshire Oaks, but she still enjoyed a spectacular campaign.
The four-year-old grabbed Classic glory in both the English and the Irish Oaks before signing off with victories in Japan and Hong Kong.
She met with a setback earlier this year and, as a result, this weekend’s start is her first since December.
With regular rider Ryan Moore otherwise engaged, Johnny Murtagh comes in for the mount.
Dunlop told At The Races: “It’s unlikely she’s grown much, but she’s grown stronger from three to four.
“She had an injury in Dubai. We’ve got that sorted thankfully and we are looking forward to seeing her back on the track.
“Midday has had two runs this year and we haven’t run for seven months. I’m sure she’ll improve for the run, but she won first time out last year at Goodwood.
“She seems well. There are mixed reports on the ground and there is some rain forecast on Friday. We are looking forward to seeing how she gets on.”
Aidan O’Brien saddles Misty For Me and Empowering, while Jim Bolger turns out Claiomh Solais just over a week after she ran down the field in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot.
David Wachman has been waiting for ease in the going to run Chrysanthemum, who has been absent since finishing seventh to Misty For Me in the Irish 1000 Guineas five weeks ago.
“She seems OK but it looks a good race. It will be a difficult task but we’ll see what happens,” the County Tipperary trainer said.
“She likes a bit of ease in the ground and we’ve been waiting for that.”
Aoife Alainn and Obama Rule complete the line-up.
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