3 minute read

Connections of Sumo Sam are hoping the forecast rain will reach Doncaster before the Group 2 Park Hill Fillies Stakes on Thursday.

The three-year-old appeared to relish the heavy going when landing the Group 2 Lillie Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and with rain set to hit Town Moor on Thursday afternoon, she may face similar conditions again. 

"She's in good form, obviously she needs a bit of cut in the ground but it's looking like she'll get that and she's pretty fresh after her last race at Goodwood. We're looking forward to it," said co-trainer Oliver Cole.

"We were definitely expecting her to run better on that ground [at Goodwood], she is a very good filly and all being well she'll go to the Prix Royallieu after this. The more rain the better for her."

Sumo Sam will face nine other rivals, including two runners from the William Haggas yard - Golden Lyra and Crack of Light. 

Golden Lyra has only been seen three times on the track this year, but shaped with promise when second behind Melo Melo in the Group 2 Prix de Pomone at Deauville in mid-August, with the winner subsequently finishing runner up in the Group 1 Prix Vermeille on Sunday.

In an interview with Sky Sports Racing, Haggas said: "Tom [Marquand] has plumped for Golden Lyra, who was useful last year at the backend on soft ground. She should relish the step up in trip and she ran a much better race in France last time, her best race for a year, staying on all the way to the line.

"I think she'll run a good race Golden Lyra, especially now the rain has come. I think it was the rain that swayed Tom to go her way."

Aidan O'Brien's Boogie Woogie makes the trip over from Ireland and will be attempting 1m6f for the first time whilst David Simcock's Ching Shih is expected to be well-supported following her second in the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes behind Arrest.