Empress date looms for unbeaten Anthelia
Rod Millman's daughter of Supremacy has proven deadly over five furlongs so far in her career and dazzled in the Listed National Stakes at Sandown last time, but having made the decision to skip Royal Ascot, connections now head to the July course for a first try at six furlongs buoyed by last week's results at the summer showpiece.
'She carried a 3lb penalty for her win at Sandown which obviously makes life a little bit harder but the form has stood up well and there was a couple of horses not beaten far at Royal Ascot last week,' said Millman.
'One horse was only beaten two lengths in the Windsor Castle (Dylan Cunha's Kamakameleon) and the other ran very close in the Queen Mary (Jane Chapple-Hyam's Eskimo Pie) and they were held behind her at Sandown, so the form stacks up well.
'She's been a very good filly for us and has trained very well since Sandown, so hopefully she can run well again. I think she will take six furlongs well and in all her races she has finished strongly.
'It was always the plan to miss Royal Ascot. Ascot is fantastic, but it is always so competitive – this is a competitive race obviously, but it wouldn't be as tough as a Queen Mary. All being well we've got a busy season planned for her if it all works out.'
Anthelia's chief market rivals appear to be Richard Hughes' Windsor winner Bella Lyra and David Loughnane's Amberia who created a real impression when making all on debut at Leicester, bolting up by six lengths.
The daughter of Coulsty, who cost just €2,000 as a yearling, has since been purchased by American owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, with Loughnane eager to see how his exciting prospect performs up at Listed level.
Loughnane said: 'She's in good order and she's come on both mentally and physically since Leicester.
'It wouldn't concern me dropping back to six furlongs as she jumped and travelled and showed plenty of speed in her first start.
'Obviously it's a massive step up in grade but we hope she can go there and be competitive and if she comes home with black type that would be great.'
Tim Easterby's Argentine Tango accounted for Karl Burke's subsequent Prix du Bois fourth Meelaf when they met in Beverley's Hilary Needler and heads to HQ in winning order, as does Hamilton scorer Midnight Tango who could continue the Ed Walker and Kieran Shoemark hot streak in a race the stable won with Celandine 12 months ago.
Hugo Palmer's Game Striker arrives on the back of a win last time, with the Manor House handler also saddling Miss Piggle. Gemma Tutty's Awraad completes the line-up.
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