Dubai: Pleascach and Legatissimo, respective winners of the Irish and English 1,000 Guineas (G1), oppose the older generation for the first time in their burgeoning careers in what promises to be a captivating renewal of the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes, the showpiece event on the final day of the Curragh’s three-day Irish Derby meeting.
Trained by Jim Bolger for Team Godolphin, Pleascach sidestepped Saturday’s Irish Classic in favour of a shot at the 2,400 metre contest, where the winner earns an automatic invitation to compete in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at the end of the season.
The daughter of Teofilo, who defeated Irish-trained Found in the Guineas before chasing home David Wachman’s Curvy in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot, faces eight rivals including Dermot Weld’s unbeaten Brooch and Group 2 Middleton Stakes first and third, Secret Gesture and Ribbons.
Legatissimo looks a formidable opponent going by her performance in the Epsom Oaks (G1) where she was narrowly denied by Aidan O’Brien’s 50/1 long-shot Qualify.
Wachman said: “She seems well at home, so we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
“She’s won over seven furlongs and a mile and was touched off in the Oaks over a mile and a half, so she’s obviously pretty adaptable trip-wise.
“I don’t think the ground should be an issue. She’d go on most ground and it should be goodish this weekend, which will be fine.
“It’s a good race and we’ll all know a bit more come Sunday afternoon.”
Brooch looks to have genuine claims provided she can cope with the step up in class.
Big-race jockey Pat Smullen, who won the Pretty Polly in 2010 with Weld’s Chinese White added: “She’s done very well. She’s a very consistent mare - she’s unbeaten.
“She’s come up steadily through the ranks. She’s now stepping up from a very good Group Two win to Group One class.
“She’s only had four runs, which is typical of the boss (Weld), taking her along nice and steadily,” he said.
“The step up to a mile and a quarter will suit. She’d want a little ease in the ground.
“We think a lot of her and she’s only filling her frame now. Hopefully she’s starting to show her true ability.”
British raiders have enjoyed sampled success at the Curragh since the turn of the century with the likes of Chorist (2014), Dar Re Mi (2009) and Izzi Top (2012) landing the €200,000 (Dh821,411) prize.
The At The Races Curragh Cup (Group 3, 2800m), the International Stakes (Group 3, 2000m) and the Grangecon Stakes (Group 3, 1200m) are the supporting Pattern races on card, in addition to the Tote Rockingham Premier Handicap (1000m).
