Step up in trip in Paris a possibility for Rogue Millennium

Molly Hunter
September 11, 2023 1:57 pm

Ascot on Champions Day another option.

Rogue Millennium could be headed to Paris after her gallant second-placed run behind Tahiyra in the Matron Stakes at Leopardstown.

The Tom Clover-trained four-year-old was a 12-1 chance for the Group One on her sixth start of a successful season in which she has only once been out of the top three for owners The Rogues Gallery.

A Group Two winner in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot, the daughter of Dubawi was then fifth when stepping up a grade on soft ground in the Prix Rothschild at Deauville.

Conditions at Leopardstown were more to her liking, however, and she showed a brilliant turn of foot to accelerate away in pursuit of Tahiyra – the 5-6 favourite and a multiple Group One winner.

Rogue Millennium was a length and quarter behind when the line came, a valiant run in defeat and a performance that may inspire a step back up in trip.

“She’s taken us on a terrific journey, she’s given us some fantastic days,” said Clover.

“After the race we were a little bit disappointed but we shouldn’t be, the form was so strong, there were a few little things that didn’t go in her favour but I loved seeing her on that quick ground.

“She showed a terrific turn of foot and we were as happy as you could be after finishing second.

“You win a maiden and then you want to win a Listed race, you do that and you want to win a Group race, then you want Group One black type.

“You always want more, but we’re thrilled with her. It was a fantastic day and she ran a great race.

“I suppose what’s exciting is that she’s a filly that still looks like she’s improving and that’s great to see. She’s so game, she tries her heart out and she loves the game.”

Rogue Millennium has form over 10 furlongs having been placed at Pattern level over the trip earlier in the season and connections will now consider whether to return to that distance for the Prix de l’Opera on the same day as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at ParisLongchamp.

Clover said: “We always felt that nine furlongs would be her optimum, she’s been finishing well over a mile and has now been second in a Group One over a mile but we felt like she was making up ground the whole time and had it been over nine, we would have been getting closer a lot further away.

“She’s in the Opera and we’ve got her in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, those are our two options.

“We’ll look at the Opera and see how she is, three weeks is a reasonably tight turnaround with the travel and so on, but if she’s OK we’ll be tempted to go to Longchamp, I think.”