‘Pretty’ tough task for Diamond Rain

CHARLIE Appleby and William Buick are on their travels again this weekend as the Shamardal filly Diamond Rain heads to Woodbine to contest the Grade 1 E. P. Taylor Stakes (9.14pm)

She has won her two outings this year, including a Group 3 at Newcastle last time. However, she faces a tough task against the Cherie DeVaux-trained She Feels Pretty. Likely to be sent off at short odds, she had been on a winning streak of four, including three Grade 1s before she met defeat in the Grade 1 Diana Stakes last time out beaten a head by Excellent Truth.

Run For Shirl won the Grade 2 trial for this, the Canadian Stakes in July but would have to improve on that run if the favourite performs to her best.

The feature is the historic King’s Plate at 10.34pm where Mark Casse sends out the favourite, No Time (John Velazquez) with trainer Josie Carroll supplying the main danger in Notorious Gangster. No Time tries to become the seventh filly to win the first leg of the Canadian Triple Crown since 2007.

Saratoga features the Grade 1 Alabama Stakes (10.44pm) for three-year-old fillies over 10 furlongs.

Godolphin’s Good Cheer had her seven wins in a row culminate in success in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks before she disappointed in the Grade 1 Acorn when only fifth of six to La Cara on a sloppy sealed track. La Cara had earlier won the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes earlier in the season but was down the field in the Kentucky Oaks.

Mark Casse also trains Nitrogen who had won five in a row before second in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes at Saratoga in early July, beaten the narrowest margin by Fionn.

La Cara has the Saratoga form and she is the only front-runner in this field and she’ll be hard to pass but Good Cheer did not show her true form last year and could run her down this time.

The Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks has a large field of 12 over the nine furlongs on turf, with nine different trainers represented. The favourite is Thought Process from Phil D’Amato’s barn off two recent wins while Irish-bred Ten Sovereigns filly Lush Lips trained by Brendan Walsh, won the Listed Tepin Stakes at Churchill Downs last time.