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Ribblesdale Stakes 2016: Raise a tune with O'Brien's Song

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Posted in: Royal Ascot Tips

Timeform preview the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes - set to take place on Ladies Day (Thursday) at Royal Ascot 2016 - and give their idea of the best bet in the race.

Click here to back Even Song at 4/1 for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot 2016

Aidan O'Brien is rapidly becoming one of the most successful trainers in Royal Ascot history, with a tremendous haul of winners that includes a record-breaking six wins in the showpiece of the meeting, the Ascot Gold Cup. However, he had to wait until 2014 to register a first victory in the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes, Bracelet doing best of O'Brien's two runners in the race and ending the drought with a surprise victory under son Joseph. 


Last week's Oaks fourth Somehow is one of nine fillies O'Brien has entered in this year's renewal, but she appeared to have a hard enough race there and runners in the Epsom classic don't have a particularly strong record in this contest. Indeed, Michita in 2008 was the last Ribblesdale winner to have previously run in the Oaks at Epsom and – with just 13 days separating the two races this year – the suggestion is to concentrate on those coming into the contest with a relatively clean slate. 


The current favourite is another Aidan O'Brien representative, last month's Pretty Polly Stakes third Even Song. She was a surprise omission from the fillies' classic at Epsom (second-favourite at the time of withdrawal), but that can hardly be considered a negative with her prospects here in mind and - with that Newmarket third her only start of the campaign to date - she should him come into this race fresher than most.


A half-sister to last year's St Leger winner Simple Verse, she had looked a useful prospect when shedding her maiden tag at Leopardstown in October and confirmed that promise with an encouraging effort on the Rowley Mile last time. She was unsuited by how the race panned out on that occasion, but the way she stayed on in the closing stages suggests she will improve for this longer trip and Even Song makes plenty of appeal with this stiff finish likely to be right up her street.


We Are Ninety also features quite prominently in the market after a determined success in a listed race at Newbury last time. She quickened well to lead in the final furlong, but was all out to hold the rallying Beautiful Morning and wouldn't be guaranteed to uphold the form should the pair meet again at the Royal meeting. The second looks tailor-made for this stiffer test and - sure to improve with that outing under her belt - she certainly looks the better bet at the current prices. Queen's Trust also shaped well when fourth on that occasion and would have finished closer but for a troubled passage in the closing stages.


However, the form of that race leaves all three with something to find if they are to match the level already achieved by Architecture, who showed herself to be a smart performer when second in the Oaks. She was the only filly able to give Minding a race that day and - eight lengths clear of the remainder - she looks set for a rewarding summer in pattern company. It remains to be seen how much that effort will have taken out of her, though, and with high-class performers including The Fugue beaten here after a tough race at Epsom, it might well pay to side with a fresher pair of legs. 


The quick turnaround is also a slight concern for recent Chantilly winner The Juliet Rose. She will have only been off the track 11 days if lining up at the Royal meeting, but the slow pace meant she endured little more than a racecourse gallop when accounting for Al Wathna (also entered in the Ribblesdale Stakes) in the Group 3 Prix de Royaumont and the only horse to have beaten her in four starts to date was narrowly beaten in a Group 1 last time. She remains unexposed at this trip and, with form already bordering on smart in the book, The Juliet Rose rates an interesting French raider here.


Pretty Perfect, Coolmore and How High The Moon also feature in the top half of the betting for Aidan O'Brien, but all three have questions to answer after below par efforts on their most recent outings and it is hard to escape the conclusion that Even Song is the stable's leading hope here.


O'Brien is already responsible for the standout performer in this division with Minding and, although the likes of The Juliet Rose and Beautiful Morning have the potential to improve further over this trip, Even Song is expected to emerge from her stablemate's shadow with victory in this year Ribblesdale Stakes.


Click here to back Even Song at 4/1 for the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot 2016


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