Euro Charline

Euro Charline was a little unlucky in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket on Wednesday. Settled towards the stands rail in the early stages just behind leader Queen Catrine, the field was well bunched towards the stands rail throughout, with the result that it was always going to be difficult for those fillies who were just behind the front line and towards the near side to get a run. That was the case with Euro Charline. She did pick up when Andrea Atzeni asked her to, and she had the pace and the strength to get a gap at the two-furlong pole that both she and Dorothy B tried to secure. She had to fight her way through another gap, however, as Blockade threatened to roll in on top of her. While she was doing all that, Frankie Dettori and Sandiva were enjoying a smooth passage up on the outside of the field. Richard Fahey’s filly moved a little towards the rail just outside the furlong pole, thereby closing another gap on Euro Charline, with the result that she had to be switched outside. Finally, she was in the clear, but by then Sandiva was in full flight for home. Marco Botti’s filly did pick up, even after doing all the running to get there, and she finished best of all to get up and snatch second place from Majeyda, and close on Sandiva all the way to the line.

A daughter of Myboycharlie, Euro Charline had run just twice before Wednesday, once last year and once this year, both times at Wolverhampton. Toast Of New York proved at Meydan last month that a dual winner at Wolverhampton is no barrier to success at the highest level, and Euro Charline shaped like a really promising filly on this, her first run on turf. She did have the benefit of a run this season, but this was a significant step up in class for her. She deserved her shot at a Group 3 race, having been so impressive in winning at Wolverhampton on her debut this term, and she proved that she belonged in this grade. It may be that she will continue to be under-rated now going forward, and she will be of interest wherever she runs next.

16th April 2014