Midday to sacrifice hat-trick and head to Ascot as Principal Role joins Group 1 company for the first time
Owner Khalid Abdullah will be juggling his horses and try to fill up slots in two Grade 1 Stakes races, as Midday, Workforce and Principal Role all look in contention to go, but if Workforce misses out then they are left with Midday filling in for Workforce and Principal Role getting a nod for a first crack at Group 1 company.
It is likely that Workforce, trained by Sir Michael Stoute will be skipping the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs, then Midday will probably head there instead.
If Workforce misses out and Midday fills up for him then Principal Role will be drafted in to the Grade 1 Nassau Stakes at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong.
Principal Role could have his chances dashed if Workforce heads to the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, but for now the E B F “KHELEYF” Hoppings Stakes winner at Newcastle, Principal Role will size up the Nassau Stakes.
The four-year-old bay filly won nicely at Newcastle as she took on a field of 11 3-year-olds and above over a distance of 1 mile 2 furlongs on a good to soft track.
Under jockey Tom Queally, the pair was held up in the beginning and ran most of the early part behind the lot. Queally steadied the filly heading over 2 furlongs out. Principal Role showed effort entering the last furlong, edging out at the right time to defeat her rival Fanditha by ¾ of a length.
Principal Role has two Class 1 wins to show in her career, the last came way back in 2010 on 14 May when she participated in the Sweetenham Stud Fillies’ Trial Stakes to win by a shoulder over Fatanah under jockey Eddie Ahern.
On the other hand, Sir Henry Cecil trained Midday who has won the Grade 1 Nassau Stakes for the past two years will be tempted to go for a hat-trick at Goodwood.
Trained by Sir Henry Cecil for owner Khalid Abdullah, Midday has 8 wins out of 19 starts, 6 times runner-up and thrice finishing third. The five-year-old bay mare hasn’t finished worse than 3rd since 22 April 2009 and finished on the cards 17 times out of 19 starts with career earnings of £1,913,913.
Last two outings for Midday has been frustrating, beginning with the Group 1 Investec Coronation Cup on 3 June, where she finished second to St Nicholas Abbey by a length.
After that suffered by the hands of Misty For Me, as she humiliated Midday and defeated her by a massive margin of six lengths at the Curragh in the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes on 25 June 2011.
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