Jordan Princess

Jordan Princess was the filly to take out of the listed fillies’ one-and-a-half-mile race at Newmarket on Friday. Settled at the back of the field through the early stages of the race, Luca Cumani’s filly travelled well in behind runners to the four-furlong pole. Asked for her effort on the run to the three-furlong pole, it took her a little while to pick up, and she did have to negotiate her way through a little bit of traffic, but once she hit the rising ground, she picked up impressively. She ran all the way to the line, taking second place from Vanity Rules inside the final furlong and closing on the winner Queen Of Ice, getting to within three parts of a length of her by the time they reached the winning post.

It is rarely easy to make ground from the rear on Newmarket’s Rowley Mile course when the ground is fast, as it was on Friday. To compound matters, Richard Hughes was allowed set easy fractions on Queen Of Ice in front. To put this into context, the first seven furlongs were all run in 12 seconds or more, whereas four of the last five furlongs – the exception being the final furlong – were run in less than 12 seconds. That made it difficult for any horse to get into the race from the back and, sure enough, the other three horses who, with Jordan Princess, filled the first four places, just about occupied the first three places from early. Jordan Princess was the only filly who was able to get into the race from the rear.

Even so, this was probably the best run of her life to date. Winner of her maiden on her second and final run at the back-end of last season, she finished second to Taghrooda in the Pretty Polly Stakes on her debut this term, but she was disappointing on her next three runs. She got her career back on track when she did well to win a Class 3 12-furlong handicap at Goodwood, after being hampered late on and picking up well again inside the final furlong. That suggested that she retained a lot of ability, and Friday’s run confirmed it.

The Cape Cross filly did win her maiden on soft ground, but she seemed to flounder on soft in the Lupe Stakes at Goodwood last May, and this good or fast ground seems to suit her best. She stays a mile and a half well, and she may even be better over further. She is zero for four in listed company, but she is at least up to listed class already, and she could easily progress to be a Group race middle-distance filly next season. She will be interesting if she runs again this term, and she should be an exciting middle-distance filly next season.

26th September 2014