Lady Aurelia Rated 'Best of the Century'

Lady Aurelia | Horsephotos

British Horseracing Authority handicapper Chris Nash has assigned Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy) a rating of 122, making her the best winner of the G1 King's Stand S. this century. Having nearly broken the course record in the opening-day co-feature, the 3-year-old filly was rated three pounds superior to Choisir (Aus), Miss Andretti (Aus) and Scenic Blast (Aus).

“The only debate to be had is whether the 122 figure slightly understates her achievement as she took this for predominantly hands and heels riding. This already rates as the best performance in this race this century,” Nash wrote in his Royal Ascot handicapping blog. “She had been a wide-margined winner of the [G2] Queen Mary Stakes at this meeting last year where she was credited with a figure of 121. I am happy that this run can rate a shade higher than that. [Runner-up] Profitable (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) had won this race last year. Giving the winner allowances for both age and sex, there is every indication that he has reproduced his best of 116.”

Lady Aurelia, who was returned to the U.S. earlier this week, is targeting a return to England for the G1 Coolmore Nunthorpe S. in August, a race well within her grasp in Nash's estimation.

“Remembering that she will be entitled to a 3lb fillies allowance, if she can reproduce her Ascot figure at York then a colt or gelding would have to run to 125 to match her…and no other horse has achieved anything like that sort of figure over 5f so far this season,” Nash said in his blog.

A $350,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, Lady Aurelia races for her breeder Stonestreet Stables, George Bolton and Peter Leidel.

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