View from connections: Pershaada bidding to bounce back in Flying Childers

Connections of Pershaada have challenged the speedy juvenile to demonstrate “bouncebackability” in the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner Flying Childers Stakes.

Fourth in what has turned out to be a strong edition of the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot, the Middleham Park Racing-owned filly then proved that effort was no fluke when beating the boys in the Molecomb Stakes at Goodwood.

She came up well short against American rocket Bacio when taking on her elders in the Nunthorpe at York last month and Middleham Park’s managing director, Tim Palin, is more hopeful than confident about the prospects of her returning to winning ways at Doncaster on Friday.

“I think this test represents a notch up on the Molecomb to be fair, which you’d expect going from a Group Three to a Group Two,” he said.

“The Aidan O’Brien horse (Carry The Flag) was second in a Group One (Prix Morny) and showed a lot of dash last time, the Wathnan Racing horse (Final Objective) was second in the Gimcrack and there’s one or two improvers in there.

“She did win the Molecomb with some authority in fairness, but she is going to have to demonstrate that bouncebackability from the Nunthorpe and it’s not a given that a horse that has a hard race in a Group One bounces straight back in a Group Two.

“Her very best form is on rattling quick ground, so drying weather would help and wet weather would hinder. But I don’t think her participation is in doubt because we’re not attributing the ground at York as the reason that she didn’t finish in the shake-up in the Nunthorpe, it was more the hurly burly of an all-aged race.”

Pershaada is trained by Richard Hannon, who added: “I thought she ran a very creditable race in the Nunthorpe, but I think it is tough beating those old sprinters.

“Silvestre de Sousa did report that she was kind of wheel spinning a bit. She handles cut in the ground no problem and back against two-year-olds probably she can show her superiority like she has done.

“Doncaster is a lovely flat track. She wouldn’t want it too soft. She will run though and on the form of her Molecomb win she will take a fair bit of beating.”

Pershaada renews rivalry with Hugo Palmer’s Sale Shark, who was fourth in the Molecomb before winning the Listed Roses Stakes at York, while Hamad Al Jehani’s Final Objective drops back a furlong after being beaten less than a length by Arapaho Gold in the Gimcrack.

Richard Brown, adviser for owners Wathnan Racing, said: “He was a difficult horse to start with – in the Coventry (at Royal Ascot) he ran all over the place – but he seems to be better for being gelded.

“It was obviously a career-best in the Gimcrack and we just feel he’s got plenty of speed and needs to hit the front late, so we thought we’d try him back at five and see how we go.

“It’s a Group Two and looks a pretty open race, so we thought we’d have a crack at it.”

Other contenders include Simon and Ed Crisford’s Flann Sunna, who drops back in trip after finishing fifth as a hot favourite for Goodwood’s Richmond Stakes, and the Amy Murphy-trained Tokaido, who having completed a four-timer in France with victory in the Prix Robert Papin in July disappointed behind star filly Sun Goddess in the Harry’s Half Million at York.

Day two of the St Leger Festival gets under way with the Betfred Flying Scotsman Stakes, a Listed event which has attracted a strong field of nine juveniles including the Godolphin-owned pair of Nabati (Charlie Appleby) and Rock Montreal (Roger Varian).

The latter was a late absentee when set to go off favourite for last month’s Solario Stakes after the rain hit Sandown, and Varian is hoping conditions will be more to his liking on Friday.

He said: “I’m happy with him, he’s in good form. It’s a nice race and he’s coming up against nice opposition with strong form.

“He’s got to prove himself, but I think he’s ready for a race like this.

“It will tell us where we are. He’s a nice horse and I think he’s got a bright future. We’ll learn a bit more about him and the horse will learn a bit more about the game.”