Pretty Polly Stakes Preview: Top Tips and Insights Revealed There have been some murmurs of discontent about the quality of the supporting races at the Curragh on Derby Day, but that can't be accused of Saturday's card at the Kildare venue. The Group 1 Paddy Power Pretty Polly Stakes takes centre stage, due off at 3.30pm, with three supporting contests at Group-race level in the build-up and the Ladies Derby to follow. The Pretty Polly Stakes was won last year by subsequent Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking and UK raiders are hoping to make it five wins in nine years now. William Hill Betting Offer If you already have a William Hill account, check out more of the best betting sites and online casinos Pretty Polly Stakes Predictions NAP: Whirl Next Best: Magical Hope Kalpana carries UK hopes In total, 13 of the 25 renewals of the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes this century have been won by British-based trainers and the Andrew Balding-trained Kalpana will bid to extend that recent excellence for the raiders now. She is the sole British-based runner — though French-trained Group 2 winner Survie for trainers Nicolas Clement and Flo Hermans adds some continental spice. She is something of a wildcard and might require some rain given her best form has come with some give underfoot. Kalpana's peak performance also came on a testing surface as she won the Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot in the autumn last year, though that wasn't the strongest of Group 1 contests. She turned up here last month for her comeback and emerged with credit in third behind Los Angeles and Anmaat in the Tattersalls Gold Cup. Back against her own sex now, she's respected but perhaps has it all on to give a chunk of weight to Whirl. Oaks runner-up can strike Aidan O'Brien and Ryan Moore team up with WHIRL in a race they last won together with Minding in 2016. That was the fourth of O'Brien's current tally of five wins in the race, with Magical scoring in 2020 under Seamie Heffernan. Minding came here after bagging the Oaks at Epsom and now Whirl goes for this all-aged contest after a gallant second in the Fillies' Classic three weeks ago. She cut out most of the running that afternoon, backing up the promise of May's Musidora Stakes win at York, and despite being edged out by stablemate Minnie Hauk in a finish they utterly dominated, the Wootton Bassett filly only served to enhance her reputation with the guts she displayed under pressure. She is out of a half-sister to 1m4f Group 1 winner Hydrangea and she showed improved form over this longer trip on slower ground at Epsom. The drop back in trip shouldn't inconvenience her based on the York win in May and getting 12lb from Kalpana could make her the one to beat. Twomey not without Hope Paddy Twomey saddles MAGICAL HOPE here and the Frankel filly could outrun her odds. With just seven runners, each-way terms aren't favourable but she should go well under Billy Lee. Imported from the continent where she was a Listed winner at 1m1f, she ran well enough on stable bow at Cork (1m4f, good) in that grade in May after 195 days off and has since come forward for that to win over the same course and distance in a Group 3, when putting distance between herself and the field. She has form at this slightly shorter trip and while there is a bit of a gap to bridge on ratings and the big two in the market may be hard to topple, she's one of the more interesting contenders and hasn't been on these shores long.
