JUDDMONTE PRETTY

POLLY STAKES (GROUP 1)

SOME 14 years after he won the first running of the race as a Group 1, William Haggas struck gold once more in the Juddmonte Pretty Polly Stakes as Urban Fox shocked the Oaks winner, Forever Together, with an emphatic success.

Just two runs ago the four-year-old won an Ascot handicap off a mark of 97, but a first try at 10 furlongs brought out the very best in the former Fillies’ Mile third who was becoming the fifth English-trained winner of this race in the last seven years.

Urban Fox had hinted that she had a future at pattern level when running a good fourth to Aljazzi at Royal Ascot but this was a major step-up.

SOUTH AFRICAN

A 425,000gns purchase by her South African connections (Barnane Stud) at last year’s Tattersalls December Mares Sale, Urban Fox was a 9/1 shot in a market dominated by Forever Together (4/6). In a contest that attracted just six runners. Urban Fox was kept close to the pace in third by jockey Danny Tudhope and throughout the race her connections must have watched quite contentedly.

Indeed she was travelling with real menace on the approach to the straight as Ryan Moore started to ask the favourite for her all. Urban Fox and Forever Together turned in almost upsides but from two furlongs out the winner was just far too strong. She surged away from the Epsom heroine with well over a furlong to run and she kept on strongly to score by three and a quarter lengths. Athena finished nicely to lie a further two and a quarter lengths away in third with the Epsom third, Bye Bye Baby, fourth.

THRILLED

“I’m thrilled for her owner as this is one of the first horses that they have had in training in the UK,” said a delighted Maureen Haggas.

“They bought this filly with our son, Sam, at Newmarket last year. He put this filly up to them and they then paid good money for her. It’s great for them. They’ve got Highlands Stud over in South Africa and have a lot of horses in training over there and they are just getting into things here – they bought Barnane Stud over here.

“This race did come up quickly after Ascot but she put all her weight on again very quickly after Ascot and the team at home were all very happy with her. We weren’t confident coming here but it did look like the sort of race that we could get places in and It’s all worked out.

“We did think that the longer trip would suit her today and I couldn’t believe how well she was going turning for home. She’s just beaten an Oaks winner so she’s obviously produced a very decent performance,” concluded Haggas.

Of the runner-up, Aidan O’Brien reflected: “She handled the ground but she was flat out over the trip so she won’t be going for races like the Nassau and she will go back to a mile and a half now. She’s possibly a filly that will even get further than a mile and a half.”