Tabiti drops back in trip for Dick Poole test

Juddmonte runner tackles Group Three company for trainer Ralph Beckett.

Impressive Newmarket scorer Tabiti steps up in class but down in trip for the Ire-Incentive, It Pays To Buy Irish Dick Poole Fillies’ Stakes at Salisbury on Thursday.

The daughter of Kingman made a big impression on her debut on the July Course last month, justifying favouritism with a dominant all-the-way victory.

Having since sidestepped the Prestige Stakes at Goodwood on account of unsuitable ground, Tabiti will test the water at Group Three level in Wiltshire for local trainer Ralph Beckett and owners Juddmonte, a combination which landed this six-furlong contest two years ago with Juliet Sierra.

Trainer Ralph Beckett at York last month
Trainer Ralph Beckett at York last month (Mike Egerton/PA)

Of Tabiti, Juddmonte’s European racing manager Barry Mahon said: “She did it very well in what looked a good maiden in Newmarket. Obviously Plan A was the Prestige a couple of weeks ago, but there was a lot of rain and the ground went too soft, so we decided to miss that and there’s actually very little for her to run in for a while, hence we’re dropping down a furlong for this.

“Ralph did deliberate long and hard before he ran her whether to start her at six, so he felt she had plenty of speed and hopefully she will. We’d like to see her step forward from her first run.

“We had half an eye on the Rockfel (at Newmarket on September 27) and there was nowhere else to give her more experience before then, so we thought this would be a fitting place to give her more experience and see whether she’d be up to something like the Rockfel.”

Eve Johnson Houghton registered a shock victory in the race 12 months ago with Juniper Berries and will look to go back-to-back with Betty Clover who has been plying her trade in deep waters since winning the Marygate in the spring, most notably finishing a neck second in the Princess Margaret Stakes to Simmering.

Betty Clover (right) winning at York
Betty Clover (right) winning at York (Mike Egerton/PA)

Clive Cox’s Magic Mild was well held behind Betty Clover earlier in the year but has since roared back to form with two wins at Newmarket, the most recent when beating two subsequent winners.

Cox said: “She’s in good form and her recent runs have worked out well. I’m really pleased with her heading into the race.

“She’s really tough and she has a very determined style to her racing and she’s won really well at Newmarket on the last two occasions.”

William Haggas’ Jewelry created a taking impression when striking on debut and joins Ed Walker’s Troia and Karl Burke’s Greydreambeliever in jumping up in grade having dazzled at the first time of asking.

Meanwhile, Roger Varian’s Miss Fascinator counts famous footballing names Ossie Ardiles, Glenn Hoddle and Alan Brazil amongst her owners and has won two of her last three.

The King and Queen’s Handcuffed (Andrew Balding), course-and-distance winner Dream Voyage (Hugo Palmer) and Santa Savana (Rod Millman) complete the 10-strong field.

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