Zibelina

Mentioned here after her listed win at Ascot last month, Zibelina was impressive again in winning her third race from her third start, stepped up from listed to Group 3 company in the Prix De Lieurey at Deauville last Thursday.

Now trained by new Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby, she was drawn out wide and didn’t get any cover through the early stages of the race, she was widest of all, some four horses off the inside rail down the back straight and, while she did get across a little around the home turn, she was still fairly wide and without cover. She moved up into third into the home straight, however, and she just needed to be pushed along to challenge, but she picked up impressively. She quickly got to the front, and she was always going well enough once she got there, pulling clear half a furlong out before being closed down by the useful Table Ronde at the line.

The Dansili filly should continue to improve with experience, and she could do better over further when she does learn to settle. She may still be under-rated in Britain after this given, that this race was run on a Thursday in France. She does not hold any lofty entries, which suggests that she has caught her connections at least a little by surprise (she was the stable's second string on her racecourse debut at Newcastle in June, when she won by 10 lengths). She could continue to surprise people, and she could make her mark at a high level before the end of the season.

15th August 2013

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