John Quinn relishing Signora's Cheveley Park test

Signora Cabello won at York earlier in the year under Jason Hart before prevailing at Royal Ascot.Signora Cabello won at York earlier in the year under Jason Hart before prevailing at Royal Ascot.
Signora Cabello won at York earlier in the year under Jason Hart before prevailing at Royal Ascot.
JOHN QUINN'S versatility as one of the country's top dual purpose trainers is already well-established '“ he's one of a small number of elite individuals to have enjoyed big race success at both Cheltenham and Royal Ascot.

Yet the anticipation is discernible when Quinn speaks about his stable star Signora Cabello, victorious in the Queen Mary Stakes at the Royal meeting, who lines up in today’s Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes for two-year-old fillies.

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The Group One test over six furlongs sees Signora Cabello renew her rivalry with Michael Bell’s Pretty Pollyanna. The two fillies recently fought out the finish of the Prix Morny at Deauville, with Quinn’s charge narrowly defeated on that occasion.

However the Ryedale trainer is hopeful that Frankie Dettori’s mount can prevail today in a prestigious contest which, in many respects, helps to establish the pecking order of this season’s juveniles ahead of next year’s Classics.

Trainer John Quinn.Trainer John Quinn.
Trainer John Quinn.

“She has done nicely physically and I am pleased with how she looks,” said Settrington-based Quinn whose stable has already accrued a best-ever £560,000 of prize money on the Flat this year.

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“I have been happy with her since her run in the Prix Morny, she seems in good fettle and worked well the other morning.

“When I heard that Pretty Pollyanna was going to go to the Cheveley Park my reaction was ‘well that will make for a better horse race’. They are two exceptional fillies and I’m sure the race will attract some other very good fillies who may go under the radar.

“There is no reason to be negative about the re-match. The Cheveley Park will be another day and Signora Cabello has coped with all kinds of different tracks, uphill, flat, Ascot, Maisons-Laffitte, Deauville, so maybe the Rowley Mile will bring out the best in her.

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Emaraaty Ana will bid to give Kevin Ryan another big race success today.Emaraaty Ana will bid to give Kevin Ryan another big race success today.
Emaraaty Ana will bid to give Kevin Ryan another big race success today.

“Signora Cabello has only encountered fast ground to this point. If it happened to come up soft at Newmarket, who knows how any of the fillies would cope with it?”

Other Yorkshire contenders include Leyburn trainer Karl Burke’s Comedy while Malton’s Brian Ellison is represented by The Mackem Bullet whose in-form jockey, Oisin Murphy, rode Signora Cabello to Royal Ascot glory.

Beaten in York’s Lowther Stakes by Aidan O’Brien’s Fairyland who reopposes today, Ellison – another dual purpose trainer of repute – is bullish about the chances of The Mackem Bullet, a recent acquisition for owner Katsumi Yoshida.

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“She’s obviously been bought by new owners and we’ll see how she gets on in this as to her future, if she qualifies she could go to the Breeders’ Cup. The owners have bought her to breed from,” he said.

“She’s a smashing filly, who has improved with every run. I think she’s improved since York. She was only a nose behind Fairyland in the Lowther, yet is four times the price – I can’t understand it.

“The favourite (Pretty Pollyanna) looks a very good filly, but if one of the other fancied ones disappoints I’d like to think we’ll be bang there to take advantage.”

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Fairyland is one of three Aidan O’Brien runners, along with Gossamer Wings and So Perfect, as the Ballydoyle trainer bids to take this prestigious prize for the third year running.

Meanwhile O’Brien has a strong hand in the Middle Park Stakes – the equivalent race for colts – with Ten Sovereigns attempting to cement his position as a leading candidate for Classic honours next year.

However Hambleton’s Kevin Ryan hopes Emaraaty Ana can justify his faith. Like his previous Middle Park winners Amadeus Wolf and Astaire, this two-year-old colt came to prominence when winning York’s Gimcrack Stakes.

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The horse was recently purchased by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum, and Ryan said: “The Gimcrack-Middle Park Stakes double is something that I have pulled off before and it just seemed the right way to go with him.

“I don’t like to compare my horses from different generations, Amadeus Wolf and Astaire were both very good horses in their own right as is this fellow. Emaraaty Ana is a simple, straightforward type, so I don’t foresee the undulations of the Rowley Mile being a problem to him. This will be his last run of the year and he will be much bigger and stronger next season.”

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