Fran Berry offers his insight on the Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday, while we have the Timeform predicted pace map and free video replays too.
Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes - 3.30 Curragh
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This looks a really good renewal with Filles & Mares' winner Kalpana back against her own sex again after finishing a good third to Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup last time. She has big targets over 1m4f later on in the season but connections are understandably trying to squeeze out a top-level success over 10 furlongs and this could be the one. Her main obstacle looks to be Oaks runner-up Whirl who gets 12lb on the weight-for-age scale.
Fran Berry Insight
As is often the case with the Pretty Polly Stakes this is the first time we get to see the clash of the generations with the three-year-olds against the four-year-olds and with Oaks form from Epsom represented we should get a good handle on how good the Classic generation is.
It will perhaps help us see where the three-year-olds sit for the rest of the campaign and certainly how Whirl and Wemightakedlongway have come out of Epsom.
The market, though, is headed by KALPANA and it's easy to see why.
The daughter of Study Of Man was a revelation last season, a bit of a slow burner, but she just got better and better culminating in that really good success in Group One company in the Fillies and Mares' on British Champions Day.
There was a lot to like about her return to action against the colts over the course and distance behind Los Angeles in the Tattersalls Gold Cup recently, where you could argue, for all that she was beaten a length and a half, that she she may well have given Los Angeles a real race but for getting slightly impeded two furlongs out.
That may well have been a blessing in disguise in that Kalpana had far from a hard race on seasonal debut and with the benefit of that run she is a worthy market leader here, returning to fillies' only company.
You could see her developing along the same lines of Bluestocking, her ownership companion who won this race last year and finished off her year with that superb Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe victory.
Kalpana could be in line for a similar campaign but she does have to give 12lb to Whirl on the weight-for-age which might not be easy.
However, a quick turnaround from Epsom can sometimes have a bearing on this race and Kalpana, as a more battle-hardened four-year-old, might be in a better place to strike here.
Timeform Pace Map
Pace Forecast : Even
Draw Bias : N/A
Specific Pace Hint : The predicted contested but not overly strong pace should help WEMIGHTAKEDLONGWAY more than SURVIE.
Individual Price Hint : WHIRL hit an in-running low of 25% or less of her starting Betfair SP when beaten last time.
Free Video Replays
KALPANA 25/05/2025
WHIRL 06/06/2025
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