Bell not concerned by drop back to minimum trip with Queen’s Guard

Listed assignment for progressive filly at Ayr.

Queen’s Guard will seek to take a step forward in the British EBF Stallions Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr.

The Michael Bell-trained filly was fourth on debut at Doncaster in July and was then a smart winner of a keenly-contested Yarmouth maiden early in August.

Both races were over six furlongs, and the daughter of Havana Grey now steps down to five to bid for black-type form in Listed company.

“We’re dropping back to five furlongs, she’s got bundles of speed in her pedigree,” said Bell.

“Although she’s the most inexperienced, the way she won at Yarmouth would fully justify the decision to run her in this.”

Queen’s Guard made her debut on soft ground and won on good the next time, with Bell expecting her to prove to be versatile in terms of surface.

He said: “I think she’ll go with cut, I think she just got very tired on debut.

“I don’t think she’ll be inconvenienced by the ground, she just took a big blow (at Doncaster), I think he’s actually quite flexible on ground conditions.”

Also set to contest the five-furlong event is Andrew Balding’s Purosangue, second behind Big Evs in the Molecomb at Goodwood and second again in the Roses Stakes at York when last seen.

Karl Burke’s Beautiful Diamond lines up having been beaten a length and a half in the Group Two Lowther on her last start, with Brian Meehan’s Group One-placed Toca Madera and Kevin Ryan’s Mon Na Slieve both set to compete.

Richard Fahey’s Bombay Bazaar and Craig Lidster’s Alfa Moonstone complete the group of seven.

A field of 13 have assembled for the Listed Arran Scottish Sprint EBF Fillies’ Stakes, with Queen Me a leading fancy. Kevin Ryan also saddles Silent Words.

The Fahey-trained Marine Wave and William Haggas’ Pink Diamond both have chances, as does Ralph Beckett’s Funny Story, second by a neck in a Listed event at Pontefract.

Michael Dods runs last year’s winner Gale Force Maya and George Boughey is responsible for the internationally-campaigned Perdika.

There is a sole Irish-trained runner in Fozzy Stack’s Aussie Girl, runner-up in the Group Three Ballyogan Stakes and a filly who has been unfailingly consistent all season.

Nick Bradley has a pair of runners in Karl Burke’s Secret Angel and Grant Tuer’s Sophia’s Starlight, with David Evans’ Radio Goo Goo, Ed Walker’s Rum Cocktail and Richard Spencer’s Sweet Harmony completing the line-up.

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