Gossamer is set to rule

13 April 2012

Gossamer can wear the crown in the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot tomorrow in a season where she was expected to be over-shadowed by another brilliant filly.

All the talk this term was about Queen's Logic ruling the roost in the female department, but, unfortunately, Mick Channon's charge missed the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket because of a hoof infection and subsequently has been on the coughing end of a bug.

This has denied racing fans the treat of seeing Gossamer and Queen's Logic have some epic cat-fights. However, after a slighty spluttering start, Gossamer has managed to take advantage of her rival's absence.

Trained by Luca Cumani, the daughter of Sadler's Wells was disappointing when eighth in the Guineas behind the winner and subsequent Epsom Oaks heroine Kazzia, getting away slowly and stumbling at a vital stage of the proceedings.

But she regained the winning ways, which saw her unbeaten in three runs as a two-year-old, when trouncing Quarter Moon by fouranda-half lengths in the Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh, on the easier ground that she prefers.

Bearing in mind that Quarter Moon was beaten only half a length by Kazzia in the Epsom classic, Gossamer, whose three successes in her first season included a win over tomorrow's course and distance, is going to be hard to beat.

Cumani refutes the suggestion that Gossamer is exclusively a soft ground filly. He said: "She is a girl with no quirks and riding her in a race must be like riding a motorbike. She is the most perfect racing machine. It was a bad day for her in our 1,000 Guineas. Everything went wrong. She missed the break and found herself out of position in a slowly-run race. I have always had faith in her."

The Amanda Perretttrained Dolores and Misterah both finished ahead of Gossamer in the English Guineas but although the former has since landed a Listed race at Goodwood, neither may cope with Gossamer this time round.

Aidan O'Brien has decided to run Irish 1,000 Guineassixth, Alstemeria, and Sophisticat. Alstemeria still has plenty of scope for improvement but Sophisticat, who has nothing in hand of John Gosden's Zenda, is fully exposed.

Gossamer's rider, babyfaced-Jamie Spencer, sums his mount by adding: "In her work she never disappoints. If I could find a wife like that I'd be happy!"

Dream machine or dutiful spouse, Gossamer (3.45, nap) has all the hallmarks of a perfect filly.

Earlier in the afternoon Cumani can lay the foundations of a dazzling double at the prestigious meeting with a victory from Xtra (2.30, nb in the Wolferton Rated Handicap.

Xtra probably found the trip of last season's Great Voltigeur at York, won by Milan, who subsequently took the St Leger at Doncaster by a street, a little bit too far for him, and the mileanda-quarter journey here will be much more suitable. The colt warmed up for tomorrow's event with a highly creditable second to Maniatis at Goodwood recently.

Like Gossamer, he is by Sadler's Wells, one of the greatest sires of modern times and who looks likely to enhance his reputation even further at the Royal meeting.

Aidan O'Brien, who kicked off the annual Ascot showpiece in such fine style, should be on the mark again in the two-mile Queen's Vase with Black Sam Bellamy (4.20), a brother of the mightly Galileo. Built to steamroller the opposition in staying events, his dad is, you've guessed it, Sadler's Wells. It augurs to be a great day for the family.

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Gossamer is set to rule

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