15th-Sept-2024

Purple Lily was my starting point in the Blandford Stakes, this 10-furlong trip could suit her well and she is a classy filly, but she is short, and I think that Hanalia has been under-rated against her. 

Johnny Murtagh’s filly made lovely progress at the start of the season, she won her maiden at The Curragh and she won the Oaks Trial at Naas, and she ran better than her finishing position suggests in the Irish Oaks.  

She could only finish second behind Tarawa in the Snow Fairy Stakes last time, but Tarawa is a talented filly who had the run of the race, and Hanalia did well to come from well back in the field through traffic to finish second.

There is every chance that that run will bring her forward.  It is possible that connections have had this race in mind for her for a little while, and that a run over nine furlongs just over two weeks ago should bring her forward nicely for the Blandford Stakes.  This 10-furlong trip is close to optimal for her, and we know that she goes well at The Curragh.  Also, she has raced just five times in her life, there should be more to come from her and, in a race that has gone to a three-year-old in each of the last five years, she could go well.

HANALIA WON (ADV 14/1, SP 12/1)