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The up-and-coming French trainer/jockey combination of Henri-Francois Devin and Alexis Badel will be represented at Newmarket’s historic Rowley Mile Racecourse for the first time on Sunday when Golden Legend takes part in the £105,000 Group 2 Charm Spirit Dahlia Stakes.
This one mile and one furlong contest, the main supporting race on the QIPCO 1000 Guineas card, has eight fillies and mares engaged following yesterday’s (Monday) confirmation stage, at which Wuheida was supplemented by trainer Charlie Appleby at a cost of £6,000.
Wuheida has outstanding form, having landed both last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf in America and the Group 1 Prix Marcel Boussac in France in 2016, although she will have to carry a 5lb penalty for that Grade 1 success.
Successful in the Group 3 Prix Bertrand de Tarragon over this nine furlong trip at Maisons-Laffitte last September, Golden Legend has not run since the following month but has already won without the benefit of a recent run three times during her career.
Devin and Badel proved themselves a force to be reckoned with only four weeks ago when crossing The Channel to land the Listed Snowdrop Stakes with Hunaina at Kempton Park.
Henri-Francois Devin, trainer of Golden Legend, said:
“Golden Legend will be my first runner at Newmarket when she runs in the Charm Spirit Dahlia Stakes. She is in good form.”
“It will be her first start of the year but she runs well fresh and has already done enough work to be 100 per cent on Sunday – she took part in a racecourse gallop at Chantilly the other day which should have put her spot on.”
“She should handle the demands of the Rowley Mile well, as she goes on any ground, has already won over a straight nine furlongs at Maisons-Laffitte, and is a very well-balanced filly, so the dip should not be a problem for her.”
“She has won over an extended mile and a quarter but I still think that she has the speed required - she has a good turn of foot.”
“My stable jockey, Alexis Badel, will be aboard, and, although he hasn’t ridden at Newmarket before, I have no concerns on that score as Alexis has plenty of international experience and Golden Legend is a very straightforward filly who can be ridden anywhere.”
“I am very much looking forward to Sunday – it’s a big day for British racing, having runners on days like this is the reason why we train. I have been dreaming of winning the Dahlia but now that Wuheida has been entered maybe I will have to settle for a place.”
