Will it be a Juddmonte lockout or can the Gosden team claim another Fillies & Mares?
The Juddmonte team must be hopeful they can carry off this Group 1 prize because they have two strong contenders in Time Lock and Bluestocking. But which of the pair will be the pick?
Time Lock is from one of the best Juddmonte families as her dam is a sister to Group 2 winner Time Test and her granddam is the Group 1 scorer Passage Of Time. The four-year-old is clearly bred to make her mark at this level and she appears to be improving at the right time.
She has registered back-to-back career-best RPRs and was four and a quarter lengths clear of the reopposing Sweet Memories when they finished first and second at Newmarket last time. However, Sweet Memories raced on the opposite flank and also ran the final two furlongs quicker.
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John and Thady Gosden saddle Sweet Memories alongside Free Wind and Running Lion. Three of the last seven winners of this race have come from their stable, so they will be hoping to ruin the Juddmonte party.
Bluestocking is an able back-up for the Juddmonte team and has been running consistently well against the best three-year-olds this season. She has finished behind Warm Heart three times and only Savethelastdance was too good for her in the Irish Oaks at the Curragh.
She was matched at 1.04 in running on Betfair when looking certain to beat Al Qareem at Chester last time only to be re-headed near the line. That form looks strong because Al Qareem won the Cumberland Lodge here two weeks ago and this may be Bluestocking's day.
Jackie Oh is the unknown quantity in the race for Aidan O'Brien, who won this with Hydrangea and Magical in 2017 and 2018. Jackie Oh saw the back of Blue Rose Cen over a mile and a quarter at Longchamp last time and could improve for the extra two furlongs here.
Race analysis by Graeme Rodway
Wind could strike blow for punters
Free Wind bids to make her first appearance on British Champions Day a successful one as she seeks a breakthrough Group 1 victory in the Fillies & Mares Stakes.
The five-year-old has racked up three Group 2 wins and and now seeks to emulate her stablemate Emily Upjohn, who also registered her first win at the highest level here under Frankie Dettori a year ago.
As well as Free Wind, John and Thady Gosden have back-up options in the shape of improving three-year-olds Sweet Memories and Running Lion.
John Gosden said: "It's going to be quite tight for 14 fillies on the inner track but we've had this in mind for all three for a while.
Free Wind (centre): looking to bounce back from Arc disappointment
"Free Wind found the ground a little lively in the Arc and Frankie wrapped her up that day when her chance had gone, which is something he's good at doing with an eye to the future.
"Sweet Memories won a Listed race on soft at Newmarket, so should be fine on the ground, as should Running Lion."
What they say
William Buick, rider of Time Lock
I rode her to be second in the Galtres Stakes last year at York when she was behind Haskoy. I'm looking forward to getting back on her as she looked exceptional at Newmarket last time. Hopefully the ground won't be too soft for her.
Ralph Beckett, trainer of Bluestocking
She's a proven soft-ground performer. The form of her Chester defeat last time, which on the face of it was disappointing, has worked out better than it looked at the time.
Aidan O'Brien, trainer of Jackie Oh and Red Riding Hood
Jackie Oh ran a stormer at Longchamp. We were worried about the fast ground because we always thought she wanted ease in the ground, but she still ran brilliantly. Soft ground always came very easy to her and she is progressing all the time. We always hoped to go up to a mile and a half, so this will be interesting. Red Riding Hood is a solid Group 3 performer. She is progressing, but bad ground I'm not sure about. She is a solid, hardy filly.
Mikel Delzangles, trainer of Rue Boissonade
I think soft ground will suit her. She ran well in the Royallieu and was a little bit short of room when they started racing properly. I don't think we would have caught the winner, who is very good, but she ran well enough.
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