No match for Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) but in command of all else in the G1 Epsom Oaks, Lael Stable's acquisition Architecture (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) is the latest to emerge from that Classic in a quick bid for ample compensation in Thursday's G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot. Making a leap forward from her prior second in the May 7 Listed Lingfield Oaks Trial, she had upwards of eight lengths to spare over the rest of her rivals in the 12-furlong Classic and any further progression will see her emerge as one of Europe's leading middle-distance 3-year-old fillies. “I'm not sure she's ever going to run in a Group 1 when she is a stone clear on the ratings, but that's only relevant if she can reproduce her Epsom form,” trainer Hugo Palmer said. “Everything tells me she should go on the ground–it was on the soft side in the Oaks–but we are going in with our eyes open as it is a 13-day back-up since Epsom. We won't know until the chips are down, but she has not given me a moment's concern since the Oaks.”
Having been dealt with by Minding, Architecture's luck may suffer another twist with that dual Classic heroine's stablemate Even Song (Ire) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) in this line-up. Withdrawn from the Oaks at the last stage by Aidan O'Brien, Susan Magnier's well-regarded bay, who was an unlucky third in the Listed Pretty Polly S. over this trip at Newmarket May 1, has the feel of an improver and it is worth remembering that at this stage of her career she has achieved more than her half-sister Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}).
Cheveley Park Stud's 'TDN Rising Star' Queen's Trust (GB) (Dansili {GB}) has more to offer than she has shown on her last two starts and was hampered when trying to produce her effort late on in the Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies' Trial S. at Newbury May 14. Fourth there behind Architecture's stablemate We Are Ninety (Ire) (Thewayyouare), she has stronger form claims at present than the intriguing fellow Stoute-trained Shall We (Ire) (Dansili {GB}). The Niarchos Family's daughter of the GI E.P. Taylor S. heroine Insight (Fr) (Sadler's Wells) scored by three lengths when making all in a 10-furlong maiden at Salisbury May 12 and there is no telling how far a blueblood in her particular yard can go. Back in a Sandown maiden over 10 furlongs Apr. 22, Shall We was second to Nigel and Carolyn Elwes's Rocaverde (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}) and she is an interesting contender lurking in the dark from the Ralph Beckett stable so adept with this type of filly.
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