Eight fillies have been declared for the bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday (2.57pm), the Group 1 over 1m on the Rowley Mile for two-year-olds. The race carries £500,000 guaranteed and the going is good to firm. Of the 12 originally entered, Aidan O’Brien, who had six, has just two left, while Charlie Appleby’s unbeaten Musical Times heads the market from Ed Bethell’s Rogue Passion. Here is a runner-by-runner guide in cloth-number order, with each filly’s form this season.
1. Dancing Destiny
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien · Jockey: Declan McDonogh · Draw: 5 · Form: 1-3-4-1-2-2-3
The most seasoned filly in the field, with seven starts and a Listed win to her name. She won a Roscommon maiden in May and the Listed Pat Smullen Stakes over 1m at Naas in July. Since then she has run well in better company: second in the Group 3 Silver Flash at Leopardstown, second in the Group 2 Debutante at the Curragh and third in the Group 1 Moyglare Stud Stakes behind Sun Goddess. She has finished in the first three in her last four starts, and Declan McDonogh has ridden her in five of her seven runs.
2. Exceptionally
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien · Jockey: to be confirmed · Draw: 7 · Form: 0-3-3-4-3
A maiden after five runs and one of the outsiders in the field. The Into Mischief filly was twelfth on her debut at the Curragh in June, then finished third in a Leopardstown maiden over 1m and third in a Curragh juvenile race over 7f in August. She was fourth in the Group 3 Newtownanner Stakes over 1m, then third again at 11/8 in a Punchestown maiden on 15 September. Consistent, but she is yet to win and this is a huge step up in grade.
3. Forbidden Fire
Trainer: Andrew Balding · Jockey: Oisin Murphy · Draw: 1 · Form: 1-1
Unbeaten in two and the least exposed filly in the field. She won a novice stakes over 6f at Salisbury in August, going away, then took the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes over 7f at Doncaster on 11 September. Oisin Murphy has ridden her to both wins and gets the nod here over stablemate Scommessa Sicura, on whom he won once and finished second twice. Balding’s filly now tackles 1m and Group 1 company for the first time, so there is plenty to prove.
4. Haven
Trainer: Aidan O’Brien · Jockey: to be confirmed · Draw: 3 · Form: 8-2-1
A maiden winner who has improved fast. Haven was eighth on debut at Galway in July, then second in a Cork maiden over 7f on 9 September. Back on the Polytrack at Dundalk on 25 September she made all at 6/4 to open her account, going clear from over a furlong out. That makes three runs and one win, and she meets far stronger opposition here. The Wootton Bassett filly is bred to improve, but this is a big test for one so lightly raced.
5. Lex Victoria
Trainer: Simon & Ed Crisford · Jockey: James Doyle · Draw: 6 · Form: 1-1
Another with a perfect record. The Sioux Nation filly won a newcomers’ maiden over 7f at Newmarket on 8 August, making virtually all after a battle with the runner-up, then took a Kempton novice on 9 September at 6/5. Both wins came over 7f, so the step up to 1m is untested, and she steps up in class too. The Crisfords have found a good one, but this is the sternest examination yet, with James Doyle in the saddle.
6. Musical Times
Trainer: Charlie Appleby · Jockey: William Buick · Draw: 8 · Form: 1-1-1
Appleby’s Lope De Vega filly is unbeaten in three and the one to catch. She won her debut over 7f at Newmarket in June, made all on easy terms at Yarmouth in July, then stepped up to 1m for the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster on 10 September. There she travelled strongly and ran clear for a 7½-length win. Scommessa Sicura, who was second that day, is in this field again. Appleby has said she is versatile but shows her best on slower ground.
7. Rogue Passion
Trainer: Edward Bethell · Jockey: Rossa Ryan · Draw: 4 · Form: 4-2-1-1
Bethell’s Sioux Nation filly has progressed with every run. She was fourth on debut at Catterick in June, second at Carlisle in July, then won a Carlisle novice in August at 30/100. Stepped up to Group 2 company in France in September, she won the Prix d’Aumale at Longchamp, beating Amusingly, who later took the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère. She missed the Prix Marcel Boussac after scoping dirty, but Bethell says she has since improved. This is the trainer’s first Group 1 runner at Newmarket.
8. Scommessa Sicura
Trainer: Andrew Balding · Jockey: Saffie Osborne · Draw: 2 · Form: 2-2-2-1-2-2
The Cracksman filly has run six times and never finished worse than second. She was beaten twice by Musical Times, in a Newmarket novice in June and again in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster on 10 September, where she finished second at 4/1. In between she won a Newmarket maiden over 7f and was second in the Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury. Saffie Osborne takes over from Oisin Murphy, who rode her last three times, and she is a big price.