5 Fillies To Follow For The Remainder Of 2017

Having looked at five colts to follow for the remainder of 2017, it’s time for the fillies to have their turn. We look at five who have made an indelible impression so far this season and where they may be targeting later in the year.

SEPTEMBER

There has always been plenty of attention on this full-sister to Churchill and she’s not disappointed. She looked a shade behind her peers when seventh in the Group 3 Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot but she improved plenty for the run, winning her next two starts including the Group 2 Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket. She beat Nyaleti by 1 ¾ lengths that day having stayed on strongly in the finish to beat her well-regarded rival and she looks as if she still has plenty to learn. She’s done well to win twice over 6 furlongs with her pedigree and it won’t be long before she’s stepped up in trip which should bring even more improvement out of her. She’s a general 8/1 for the 1000 Guineas and 16/1 for the Oaks although it would be slightly surprising to see her go for the latter given the pace she has displayed.

Very much a quality filly in her own right, Mark Johnston’s runner is a similar sort to the smart Lumiere who finished her career last season. This impressive daughter of Arch encountered defeat to September in the Chesham Stakes at Royal Ascot but she was ridden too hard that day and set the race up perfectly for Aidan O’Brien’s runner. She was dropped in trip to 6 furlongs at Newmarket but she couldn’t match the powerful surge of Clemmie in the closing stages. She thrashed a fairly useful bunch in the Group 3 Juddmonte Stakes at Ascot next time out and connections are toiling over 6 or 7 furlongs for her next. Ryan Moore suggested 7 furlongs for her although connections clearly fancy another attempt at 6 with entries in the Lowther Stakes and Mill Reef Stakes.

Another spectacularly well-bred filly from the Aidan O’Brien yard, a full-sister to Rhododendron and Flying The Flag. She did well to finish second of eleven on her racecourse debut over 6 furlongs and she just managed to justify her short odds when stepped up to a mile next time out at Cork to break her maiden tag at the second attempt. She may have beaten a useful enough sort that day and she looks as if she needs more time and a longer trip to really unlock her full potential. That makes her exciting given she looks as if she will end up tackling 1m 4f which makes her of interest for the Oaks in which she’s currently quoted a best priced 33/1. She holds entries in the Debutante Stakes and the Moyglare Stud Stakes but she could be one for next season as a 3yo with another winter under her belt to grow and improve.

Dermot Weld’s filly is a slight exception to the rest of the fillies in this article given she’s a 3yo but she warrants a mention. She went under the radar somewhat when winning a maiden at Naas back in April but that should not have gone unnoticed. She thrashed some useful sorts including Clongowes (94), Belgravia (99) and Diodorus (95) by 6 lengths on racecourse debut which is some feat for a filly. She was purchased for an eye-watering 2,000,000 Euros as a yearling and she’s a half-sister to Echo Of Light, Akarem, Multazem and Irish History so it’s easy to understand her lofty price tag. She’s not been seen since making her racecourse debut and there appears to be no obvious explanation as to why given there is no mention of any injury or problems with her. She has no entries at this point but she’s worth keeping in a tracker because there could be a phenomenal amount more to come from her if she does make it back onto the racetrack.