York's G2 Sky Bet Lowther S. is one prestige race that Aidan O'Brien has yet to win, but the industrious Actress (Ire) (Declaration of War) could be the one to put that right in Thursday's edition. With seven runs under her belt, Michael Tabor's tough performer is the most experienced in the line-up but is also the classiest on evidence, having finished third in the G1 Phoenix S. at The Curragh 11 days ago. That followed a success in the G3 Anglesey S. there on July 15 and if she handles this easier ground she will be hard to pass. “She has been progressing with every run,” O'Brien said. “Obviously we're going back a little bit early with her, but she's in good form. She came out of her last race well and we're hoping she runs well.”
Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum's Madeline (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) beat Natural (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) with real authority in Newbury's Listed Bathwick Tyres Rose Bowl S. on July 21, having finished fifth in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot on June 23. “She is in great form and has done nothing but impress us all year and she goes to the Lowther as a very lively contender,” trainer Roger Varian said. “She is versatile ground-wise, as she will be fine if the ground was good-to-firm or good-to-soft. The form of the Albany is very strong and is probably as good 2-year-old fillies' form as there has been all year. The winner Different League ran very well in the Morny on Sunday and several winners have come out of the race. She is a good filly and deserves to be near the head of the market.”
With the ground looking to have gone against Happy Like a Fool (Distorted Humor) once again, it may be that those that have already shown they can perform on it are at an advantage. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Threading (Ire) (Exceed and Excel {Aus}) won by six lengths in worse conditions than these at the beleagured Glorious Goodwood meeting on Aug. 2 and assistant trainer Charlie Johnston said, “It is obviously a big step up, but she was very impressive at Goodwood. Not many fillies win a Glorious Goodwood maiden by six lengths. She is a filly we have always liked and we feel she is up to being competitive at this grade. It looks a wide-open Lowther and one we feel she has a chance of running very well in.”
Qatar Racing's unbeaten Special Purpose (Ire) (Scat Daddy) is up from five furlongs after an impressive win in a Beverley novice stakes on July 24 and is impossible to rule out from the William Haggas stable.
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