Newmarket Friday

Bet365 Fillies’ Mile (Group 1)

SHE looked something special when winning blacktype events at Sandown and Doncaster, and the exciting Inspiral (John & Thady Gosden) stretched her unbeaten record to four with a facile success in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile.

Once again she found May Hill runner-up Prosperous Voyage (Ralph Beckett/Rob Hornby) her nearest rival, and although the margin of victory here was just two and a half lengths compared to the three and three quarter lengths she won by at Doncaster, this was a most impressive performance.

Frankie Dettori reported: “She is very good but I don’t have to tell you that as she has won everything. I felt I had it won on top of the brow, two and a half furlongs out.”

Cachet (George Boughey/James Doyle), runner-up in the Rockfel Stakes over seven furlongs here on her previous start, was again placed, a neck behind the runner-up, with the fancied Mise En Scene staying on late in fourth after getting outpaced.

John Gosden added: “She was pretty professional today so I think that is fair comment that she has come on for racing.

“She travelled well into the race and handled the dip. I’m very happy with her and she took it well. She is a big girl but she is getting stronger all the time.

“She just always did everything easily. When we ran her first time on the July Course she had only ever been on the bridle.

“She was a little confused but she showed her class straight away. She is a filly that would be easy to over-train so she wasn’t tried at home first.

“I think she will get a mile and a quarter no problem in time, but a mile and a half? I don’t know.

Inspiral is now a red-hot favourite for both fillies’ classics next season, being cut to 11/4 for the 1000 Guineas and 6/1 for the Oaks.

Those itching for an ante-post bet might recall that John Gosden’s Rainbow View also won the May Hill and the Fillies’ Mile in similar style, but was unplaced in both the Guineas and the Oaks, while Indigo Girl, in the same ownership, almost did the same double 12 months ago, but has been unplaced in both runs since.

Conversely, both Love and Snowfall ran down the field in this race as juveniles before developing into outstanding three-year-olds.

Such observations are not designed to knock the winner, who was very impressive despite racing away from the main pack from her wide draw. It’s merely a reminder that it’s never easy to predict future performance with juveniles, especially fillies.