31st-May-2013

I think that Thistle Bird is the most likely winner of this, and she is worth backing at 4/1.

Roger Charlton’s filly is reportedly not the most straightforward, but she was nicely progressive through last season when she raced in a hood, winning three times and finishing second twice, both times going down by just a neck, in five runs.

Her best performance was when she beat the colts and geldings in a listed race at Haydock in September – when she had good horses like Boom And Bust, Chill The Kite and Fulbright behind her – on fast ground, but she ran a cracker on easy ground on her previous run to get to within a neck of the high-class Premio Loco in the Group 2 Celebration Mile at Goodwood. She had Aljamaaheer, Chachamaidee and Trumpet Major behind her that day. That is rock solid form. Today’s easy ground should hold no fears.

It was a little disappointing that she didn’t do a little better on her debut this term in the Group 3 Dahlia Stakes at Newmarket on Guineas weekend. However, she was keen in the early stages, and she did look the likely winner when she took up the running at the two-furlong pole, before her early exertions obviously took their toll, and she faded to finish third behind Dank and Chigun.

Chigun upheld the form of that race by running out an easy winner of a Group 3 race at The Curragh last Saturday, and Thistle Bird should come on appreciably for that run. For starters, she shouldn’t be as free and as keen today as she was then, with her seasonal debut under her belt and the freshness knocked out of her. Also, Roger Charlton’s horses were not in great form at the time, but they are flying now.

Thistle Bird has never run at Epsom, but she has handled Goodwood’s gradients well on two visits there, and that is often a good pointer to Epsom. She is the classiest filly in the race, and she should go close.

Beatrice Aurora would be a danger if she returned in peak condition on her first run for her former trainer’s son Ed Dunlop, but she seems to do best when she goes abroad, and this could be a prep for an international campaign. Gifted Girl was impressive in winning at Ascot on her debut this term, and she is interesting, but Ascot form can be unique to Ascot, and this is a big step up in grade.

THISTLE BIRD WON (ADV 4/1, SP 3/1)