Pretty Polly Stakes: runner-by-runner guide to Saturday's big race

A Listed winner at Galway when last seen, the five-year-old mare competes at Group One level for the first time. Lightly-raced, she has the scope for further improvement and is in good hands with Paddy Twomey, who landed this race three years ago with La Petite Coco, but more is required against some fillies with top class form.

The four-year-old grey is unlikely to make the trip across the Irish Sea for this contest but would be a fascinating contender should she line up. Having made only four starts to date, the Night Of Thunder filly has made a significant impression, landing black-type honours in both of latest two runs at Listed and Group Three level respectively. On an upward trajectory, she's a progressive type whose ceiling is unknown. 

The Golden Horn filly achieved Group Three and Listed success last term, as well as placing third in a competitive Newmarket contest. Well held at Group One level on her latest start, she could take a step forward for her return to action and fare better this time around but will need to prove herself in this company.

Stepping up to a mile-and-a-quarter for the first time, the four-year-old Group Three winner could show further improvement over the extra distance being by Tamayuz out of a 1m4f winner in Blame The Ruler. She's unexposed and is open to further improvement on only her sixth start, but is another who has to prove her credentials at this level.

The 118-rated Study Of Man filly brings Group One form in open company at the track into this race, having finished a length-and-a-half third to Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup when last seen. Her latest effort can be upgraded and she has proven her credentials at this level with an impressive success on British Champions Day last term. The one to beat for Andrew Balding.

The Godolphin-bred Frankel filly fetched €500,000 last winter following a promising international campaign in which she landed three successes, including a Listed win at Baden-Baden. A Group Three winner on her latest start, the four-year-old has proven stamina and remains unexposed, making only her third appearance for Paddy Twomey.

A likeable filly who has been steadily progressive since famously landing the Goffs Million on debut at this venue, she claimed Group Three honours on her reappearance this term, adding to her Listed success last season, before being narrowly denied by Porta Fortuna in a Group Two here, finding a second wind late on to finish strongly. The ground was too quick for her in the Duke Of Cambridge Stakes and she possesses the talent required to bounce back, with the step up in trip likely tol suit.

The Calyx filly achieved a third-placed finish in the Irish Oaks here last season but must defy a 286-day break having been absent since placing in the Group Two Blandford Stakes last September. She is another with proven stamina credentials, who is effective over this trip as shown when second to subsequent Oaks winner Ezeliya last term, and should hold strong claims if ready to fire after an absence.

Another entrant for Paddy Twomey, a trainer who could be represented by a number of talented fillies in the race, this daughter of Fracas won a handicap at Down Royal when last seen and has suffered defeats in her two black-type appearances to date, both at Listed level. She has plenty to find with her rivals here, but has been running over various distances and can't be completely ruled out for a top yard.

An intriguing French-raider, this Churchill filly was last seen finishing second to the talented Aventure, runner-up in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, in a Saint-Cloud Group Two, and was only narrowly beaten in the Prix de Diane last summer. She's an exciting prospect, who will be suited by the trip, and is one of the standout contenders in the field.

An exceptional winner of the Chesham Stakes as a juvenile, the home-bred Frankel filly added two Group level successes to her Listed Royal Ascot win during her debut campaign and had excuses when twice beaten in Group One contests during the autumn. She improved plenty for a return to action and step up in trip when narrowly denied in the Prix de Diane recently, finishing strongly from the rear of the field, and holds leading claims on the back of that effort for a master trainer in Aidan O'Brien.

The exciting Lope De Vega filly, who was acquired for 400,000gns as a yearling, couldn't finish strongly enough over a mile-and-a-half in the Ribblesdale Stakes when last seen, but had previously finished second to Wemightakedlongway, who subsequently performed with credit in the Oaks, and remains capable of showing further progression on only her fourth start. She made a successful late start to her career on debut at Leopardstown in April, and should be capable of competing at this level in future, but this may come too soon against some more experienced rivals.

The three-year-old Coolmore home-bred was unable to make a significant impression at Group level as a juvenile, but achieved a second-placed finish behind One Look in a Group Three here on her return to action. She has been well beaten since and further improvement is required, likely to find this contest too hot at this level, but she is unable to be ruled out with confidence for team Ballydoyle, aiming to go one place better than her dam Magic Wand who finished second in the 2019 renewal.

The Oaks fourth beat Catalina Delcarpio to claim Group Three honours in her first black-type success at Navan in April, following on from a fifth-placed effort behind Delacroix. Last term, the daughter of Australia beat subsequent Classic winner Minnie Hauk to shed her maiden tag and is still on an upward curve, bringing top form into the race with proven stamina credentials.

Narrowly beaten by stablemate Minnie Hauk in the Oaks, the Wootton Bassett filly has shown steady progression throughout her career to date and proved she's capable of competing at Group One level when last seen in Classic company at Epsom. Another with proven stamina, she is the pick of the three-year-old fillies on this season's form and must now prove herself against older rivals.