Dandalla is likely to have her sights lowered ahead of a return to Royal Ascot with connections favouring an outing in the EBF British Stallion Studs Cecil Frail at Haydock Park on Friday (21st May).
The six furlong fillies’ and mares only Listed contest appears the preferred option for the Karl Burke-trained daughter of Dandy Man opposed to the Group Two Casumo Bet10 Get10 Sandy Lane Stakes over the same course and distance 24 hours later.
Dandalla followed up her debut victory at Newcastle with an emphatic success in the Group Three Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting in 2020 before backing that win up at Group Two level in the Duchess Of Cambridge Stakes (Sponsored by bet365) at Newmarket’s Moët & Chandon July Festival.
Although Dandalla finished seventh on her return to action on her first attempt over seven furlongs in the Group Three Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury on 18th April, connections are confident she still has plenty more to offer now dropped back to sprinting.
Nick Bradley, managing director of owners Nick Bradley Racing, said: “The plan is to run Dandalla in either the Cecil Frail or the Sandy Lane but I expect we will run her on the Friday in the Cecil Frail.
“She ran well at Newbury but she might not have stayed the seven. We are going back to six furlongs on soft ground which I’m convinced she is a better filly on. I went up to see her two weeks ago and she looks a big strong filly now.
“At the start of the year I would have said she was probably 50/50 to win a race this year because of the grade she was going to be running in but having seen her in the flesh at Newbury and at the yard I think there are more big races for her.”
A return to Group One company appears on the cards for Dandalla after her next start with Bradley earmarking the Commonwealth Cup at the Royal meeting as her first big aim of the campaign.
He added: “The Commonwealth Cup is definitely a target at Royal Ascot. Her only real options there are over six and eight furlongs so we will play it safe and go six. After that, I couldn’t say what direction we will go.”
An outing in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas at the Curragh on Sunday (23rd May) appears the most likely next port of call for the Richard Fahey-trained Fev Rover who finished third on her seasonal return in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month.
He added: “Fev Rover will work tomorrow and we will then have a think of what to do. We will look at the entries and either go there or wait for Ascot. At the moment I would say she is likely to go to Ireland.
“It was a great run in the 1000 Guineas and I think the track at the Curragh would suit her more than the Rowley Mile. If you watch her races she generally makes most of her ground up running up hill and the Curragh is a stiffer track than the Rowley Mile.
“Looking at the field so far for Sunday I’d like to think she could be up in the first two or three again on a track that will suit."
