3 minute read

Attraction in 2004 is the last horse to have won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, the Irish version at the Curragh and the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot in the same season.

Winter will be attempting to do likewise at the Royal meeting in 2017, but that is where the similarities between the pair end. The Mark Johnston-trained Attraction was a precocious two-year-old, going unbeaten in five starts and producing an impressive effort when winning the Queen Mary Stakes at this meeting by three lengths - the best performance in the race up until Wesley Ward began his invasion of flying fillies. Winter, on the other hand, showed only fairly useful form in three starts as a juvenile for David Wachman, with her only victory coming in a maiden at Dundalk in August.

She has quickly made great strides since joining Aidan O'Brien for the new season, however, finishing a head second in the 1000 Guineas Trial at Leopardstown in April, before tasting classic success at both Newmarket (by two lengths from Rhododendron) and the Curragh (by four and three quarter lengths from Roly Poly, Hydrangea third, Intricately fourth).

She could hardly have been more impressive on the latter occasion, travelling smoothly into contention as the field entered the final three furlongs and quickly forging clear thereafter. She leaves the impression there is still more to come from her should it be required and – 4 lb clear of her nearest rival on weight-adjusted ratings - heads here as the clear one to beat, having brushed aside several of her rivals already this season.

Dabyah is perhaps most interesting of those yet to have come up against Winter so far. She won her first two starts as a two-year-old and signed off with a length third to Wuheida in the Prix Marcel Boussac at Chantilly in October. She didn't need to improve when making a successful seasonal debut in the Fred Darling Stakes at Newbury (by one and a quarter lengths from Urban Fox) in April, but was value for more than the official winning margin on the day and remains with potential after just four starts. She has had problems of late which forced her to miss the French 1000 Guineas at Deauville, however. John Gosden is also responsible for Daban, but she could only manage a two and a quarter lengths third to Winter at Newmarket, and there is no obvious reason why she should reverse the form.

Five of the first six from Deauville look set to do battle again here, with the winner Precieuse, who has been supplemented, Sea of Grace (second), Wajnah (fourth), Rain Goddess (fifth) and Roly Poly (sixth) all featuring among the entries at the six-day stage. Precieuse is by no means certain to uphold the placings on the likely quicker surface here, and perhaps the most interesting is Sea of Grace, for whom further improvement cannot be ruled out after just five starts, though she too has produced her best efforts to date with some give in the ground.

Further international interest is provided by La Coronel, who represents the same stable that sent out Tepin to win the Queen Anne Stakes here 12 months ago. She has won her last two starts at Grade 3 level, namely the Appalachian Stakes at Keeneland in April and the Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs last time, and is clearly a smart performer in the US, though it is difficult to know how that form stacks up with the best of these.

Tomyris is one of the more lightly-raced types in the race after just three starts. She stepped up significantly on her debut form when making a successful return to action at Newmarket in April and improved again when following up in a listed race at York (by three quarters of a length from On Her Toes) last month, showing a good attitude. She looks well worth her place in Group company on that evidence and could outrun big odds for the in-form Roger Varian yard, with the return to better ground expected to see her in an even better light. She looks worth a small each-way bet, with Winter impossible to oppose for win purposes.

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