Waardah primed to go close in Langtry repeat bid

Owen Burrows expects a return to Goodwood to bring out the best in Waardah as she defends her crown in the Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes on Saturday.

The four-year-old has actually won twice on the Sussex Downs, with her Group Two victory 12 months ago preceded by a Listed success in May, and her comeback second behind Estrange in the restaged Pinnacle Stakes at Carlisle reads well in light of the winner’s subsequent Group One success in Ireland.

Burrows said: “It was a good first run, the form has been franked and she’s run well at Goodwood, so she ticks plenty of boxes.

“She’s had a couple of entries since Carlisle, but the Haydock race (Lancashire Oaks) went to Newmarket and was run on very quick ground and she was in over in Ireland but that was quick ground as well.

“It’s obviously going to be quick enough on Saturday, but it was beautiful ground on Tuesday when I was there and it was quick enough up at Carlisle, so she goes on it. She’s shown her best form on soft, but she’s in good form and we’re very happy with her and this has always been the natural plan.

“They keep watering the track each evening so I’m not too concerned about the ground.”

Waardah’s rivals include Sir Mark Prescott’s Consent and the William Haggas-trained Santorini Star, who finished first and second respectively in the Prix de Royallieu on Arc weekend in Paris.

Both head to Goodwood with questions to answer, however, with Santorini Star finishing last of 12 in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot, while Consent is making her first appearance since tailing off in the Prix Vicomtesse Vigier on her return in May.

Prescott said: “Consent worked her way up to being nearly the best staying three-year-old filly last year, (but) ran absolutely appallingly (on her return) and I am unable to account for why she ran so badly.”

When asked whether she has shown signs of a return to form since that comeback, the Heath House trainer added: “She was working well when she ran so badly so it is not as easy as that. She worked very well in the spring and we were very pleased with her and she ran very badly. No reason has emerged so you don’t know, do you?

“I suppose it is more likely to happen with fillies, especially when they are a year older and they could have not trained on.

“You wouldn’t know how she would run this time. I don’t know why she ran badly and she’s working fine now, but she was before she ran poorly.”

Aidan O’Brien’s Amelia Earhart, Joseph O’Brien’s Goodie Two Shoes, Roger Varian’s Little Dorrit and the John and Thady Gosden-trained Bronte Cup winner Danielle, who was runner-up in this last year, also feature in a competitive heat.

“She won well at York and she’s a filly who enjoys getting her toe in a little bit, but equally she has run well on better ground too,” said Thady Gosden.

“She’s been a consistent filly and gives 120 per cent every day and loves her training and racing. I’m sure she’ll be wanting to show it out on track.”