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Kassaya to take Queensferry crown

Written by Press Association | Aug 3, 2025 8:01:08 AM

Kassaya is regally-bred and can bag a valuable Listed success in the Queensferry Stakes at Chester on Sunday.

Andrew Balding's filly is a half-sister to the 2000 Guineas winner Chaldean and also races in the same Juddmonte silks.

She cost them 1,000,000 guineas at the sales but should she be able to get some big black type on her page, she would be very valuable indeed.

On the track to date, while we have only seen her four times, she has already displayed that she is above average.

She was sent off 7-2 favourite for last season's Queen Mary but disappointed.

However, she did not run again that summer after picking up an injury.

Clearly that has not had a lasting effect as first time out this term she ran out a comfortable winner of a decent Sandown handicap.

That came off a mark of 88 and she was clearly well treated, but upped to 95 she looks well worth a crack at this level, especially having fared well in the draw with stall four.

The big danger is Celandine, taken out of the King George at Goodwood because of the soft ground and well drawn in stall two.

Ralph Beckett had a week to remember winning the Sussex Stakes with 150-1 pacemaker Qirat and seeing two of his horses dead-heat in a Group Three.

His Palmar Bay can continue the stable's good run in the Inkerman London Handicap.

A four-time winner already, he was well held at York off this career-high mark last time out but he has the perfect draw in stall two as a prominent racer.

Moon Target was Sir Mark Prescott's first juvenile winner of the season and he did not just win, he bolted up by over five lengths.

From a Cheveley Park Stud family that includes Inspiral, this Cracksman filly was favourite and lived up to those expectations.

She holds no fancy entries but you would think she can only improve with racing and when she goes over further.

While she has a penalty in the EBF Fillies' Restricted Novice Stakes at Yarmouth, that should not stop her.

Ed Dunlop has fitted Arundel with cheekpieces for the first time in the everytip.com Premium Racing Tips "Confined" Handicap and it could eke out a bit more improvement.

Named after the location of Dunlop's father John's former base, the gelding only cost 1,000 guineas despite having some useful relatives in his pedigree such as Elusive Pimpernel and Palavicini.

He showed a modicum of ability in three starts in maidens to be awarded a mark of 58 and he was second on his handicap debut at Beverley before justifying a short price at Pontefract.

Upped 4lb at Newmarket, he was second to Something Splendid and there might be a bit more to come. - Press Association

SELECTIONS:

CHESTER: Race 1 - 15.10 Princess Rascal, Race 2 - 15.45 Emerald Coast, Race 3 - 16.20 Somebody, Race 4 - 16.52 KASSAYA (NAP), Race 5 - 17.22 Look Back Smiling, Race 6 - 17.53 Palmar Bay, Race 7 - 18.22 Theme Park.

GALWAY: Race 1 - 14.50 Pralognan, Race 2 - 15.20 Nytol, Race 3 - 15.55 Blood Destiny, Race 4 - 16.30 Arctic Fly, Race 5 - 17.00 Apiarist, Race 6 - 17.30 Joltin, Race 7 - 18.00 This Farh, Race 8 - 18.30 Al Arrivee.

YARMOUTH: Race 1 - 15.32 Moon Target, Race 2 - 16.07 Desert Beauty, Race 3 - 16.42 Kilima, Race 4 - 17.12 Arundel, Race 5 - 17.42 It's Showtime, Race 6 - 18.12 Blue Train.