Slade Power's Raffle Prize Wins the Duchess of Cambridge

Following in the steps of the former Mark Johnston luminary Attraction (GB) (Efisio {GB}), Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum's Raffle Prize (Ire) (Slade Power {Ire}) was able to defy a penalty for her G2 Queen Mary success in Friday's G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. at Newmarket. On the front end from the outset, the 9-2 shot never looked like being reeled in by the 5-4 favourite Daahyeh (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) and gave generously for Frankie Dettori to win by 1 3/4 lengths, with TDN Rising Star Final Song (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) a head back in third. “She's very smart–I can't believe she won over five,” Dettori said of the winner, who remarkably set a new all-age track record in the process. “She saw out the six very well and has improved. It was an amazing performance and she's got lots of scope.”

Runner-up to the June 21 G3 Albany S. winner Daahyeh on debut over this trip on the Rowley Mile course May 18, Raffle Prize secured a scintillating five-length success also over six at Chester a week later before outlasting Kimari (Munnings) over five in the June 19 Queen Mary at Royal Ascot. This was another outstanding effort–faster than any July Cup run in history–and marks her as the leading 2-year-old filly so far seen in 2018. The G1 Prix Morny is her target at Deauville Aug. 18 and it will be all the better for her inclusion.

“Stepping up to six was a little bit of a question mark and obviously the second horse beat her before first time out and was the talk of the town,” trainer Mark Johnston said. “Our filly showed fantastic speed that day and got tired. She had every right to have come on from that. We couldn't expect to turn the tables, but hoped to and she clearly looks better over the six. Frankie said go for the Lowther or the Morny. That will be up to the owner, but she has won two group twos and I think we have got to have a shot at the group one next.”

Trainer Roger Varian said of Daahyeh, “We are always disappointed when they don't win, but she ran a good race. Full credit to the winner, as she has probably improved since we beat her in May. We could never quite make up the ground, but I thought David [Egan] gave her a good ride. The fillies in front of her didn't quite take us to the winner, so we have had to go wide into the middle of the track and she could never make up the ground. She finished off well and shaped as though she might get a furlong further. I don't think she has harmed her reputation and she remains an exciting prospect.” Saeed bin Suroor said of the third, who was filling the same spot as in the Queen Mary, “Final Song has run another excellent race and was beaten by two very good fillies. We have no immediate plans and will give her a break before bringing her back for some of the nice group races later in the season.”

Raffle Prize is out of Summer Fete (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), who took the seven-furlong G3 Oak Tree S. and Listed Radley S. and was third in the G2 Celebration Mile. The second dam Tamarillo (GB) (Daylami {Ire}) is a half-sister to the listed-placed pair Take It To The Max (GB) (Bahamian Bounty {GB}) and Wake Up Call (GB) (Noverre). Interestingly, the latter is the dam of Godolphin's Zaman (GB) by Slade Power's sire Dutch Art who took the Listed Meydan Classic over a mile, was second in the G2 Vintage S. and comfortably stayed a mile and a quarter. This family also features the GII San Clemente H. winner Up In Time (GB) (Noverre), the Listed Atalanta S. scorer and G1 Sun Chariot S. third Musicanna (GB) (Cape Cross {Ire}) and her G2 Godolphin Mile-winning son One Man Band (Ire) (Pivotal {GB}), and the high-class sprinter Overdose (GB) (Starborough {GB}). Summer Fete's yearling filly is by Exceed and Excel (Aus).

Friday, Newmarket, Britain
DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE S. (SPONSORED BY BET365)-G2, £80,000, Newmarket, 7-12, 2yo, f, 6fT, 1:09.09 (NTR), g/f.
1–RAFFLE PRIZE (IRE), 129, f, 2, by Slade Power (Ire)
1st Dam: Summer Fete (Ire) (GSW-Eng, $125,102), by Pivotal (GB)
2nd Dam: Tamarillo (GB), by Daylami (Ire)
3rd Dam: Up and About (GB), by Barathea (Ire)
O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Mark Johnston; J-Lanfranco Dettori. £45,368. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $152,150. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Daahyeh (GB), 126, f, 2, Bated Breath (GB)">Bated Breath (GB)–Affluent (GB), by Oasis Dream (GB). (£75,000 Ylg '18 GOUKPR). O-HH Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa; B-D J & Mrs Deer (GB); T-Roger Varian. £17,200.
3–Final Song (Ire), 126, f, 2, Dark Angel (Ire)–Rahiyah, by Rahy. O/B-Godolphin (IRE); T-Saeed bin Suroor. £8,608.
Margins: 1 3/4, HD, 2 1/4. Odds: 4.50, 1.25, 3.30.
Also Ran: Lambeth Walk (GB), Divine Spirit (GB), Bredenbury (Ire), Celtic Beauty (Ire). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.