Ribblesdale Stakes Odds: Will Soul Sister and Savethelastdance line up in Royal Ascot Group 2?
Soul Sister produced a sparkling performance to storm to victory in the Oaks at Epsom Downs last week and John & Thady Gosden's starlet is entered for the Group 2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in a few weeks, where she could clash with Oaks runner-up Savethelastdance who could head over for Aidan O'Brien. However, will either of the pair drop down in company for the Ribblesdale? We take a look at the latest betting for the 1m 3f 211y contest here...
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A fine winner of the Musidora Stakes at York, Soul Sister was sent off second favourite for the Oaks and she duly produced a barnstorming career best to outclass red-hot odds-on favourite Savethelastdance at Epsom last Friday. Now, with two notable early season wins, Soul Sister's sole entry for the remainder of the season to date is the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 22nd and she is the 11/4 ante-post favourite for that event on day three of the meeting.
However, with notable engagements likely in the second half of the season, with one eye surely to be on the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (currently 14/1), then it's hard to see Soul Sister making a quick reappearance to take in the Ribblesdale. Owner Lady Bamford was cock-a-hoop with her daughter of Frankel in the aftermath of the Oaks, but the Gosden-trained filly could have much bigger fish to fry into July, August, September and October, so it would be a shock to see her take her chance in a fortnight.
Currently the 9/2 second favourite for the Ribblesdale, Savethelastdance wasn't disgraced in the Oaks as she was gallant in defeat, but she will be looking to get back on the winning thread and the runaway Cheshire Oaks winner is also entered in the Ribblesdale. She had a hard race that day and Aidan O'Brien's filly also holds entries in both the Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh and also in the Irish Oaks a few weeks later and it's hard to see - like Soul Sister - her drop down to Group 2 company in the Ribblesdale Stakes, which could just lack that star quality this year.
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Running Lion was a late withdrawal in the Oaks having bashed herself out of the back of the stalls and she is 10/1, but the Gosden team have nominated the Prix de Diane in France on June 18 as her next port of call, so she's another prominent figure in the betting that will not likely be seen at Royal Ascot.
Sir Michael Stoute last trained the winner of the Ribblesdale Stakes back in 2003 when under Richard Hughes Spanish Sun rocketed to glory, but the Freemason Lodge handler could have a leading player in the 2023 renewal in the shape of Infinite Cosmos, who is an eye-catching entry and available at 6/1 at the time of writing. An impressive winner of a Newmarket maiden, she was then sent off favourite for the Musidora at York, but was no match for Soul Sister and had to settle for third spot. However, she could improve for that outing and with only three runs on her CV she is still open to notable improvement this season and the attractively bred daughter of Sea The Stars could be one of the leading fancies come race time.
Ralph Beckett's Bluestocking has the same imminent entries as Savethelastdance with one eye sure to be on the Pretty Polly and Irish Oaks, but the daughter of Camelot, who is 8/1, was last seen being narrowly edged out in a Listed event at Newbury, so it could be that Beckett opts for a Group 2 event in the Ribblesdale instead of stepping up to top class company.
It's sure to be an ante-post market that takes shape over the coming days as trainers begin to announce their plans, with the likes of Azazat, Never Ending Story and Boogie Woogie all featuring in the top half of the betting, but the Ribblesdale Stakes in 2023 could lack that real star performer and it's going to be a winnable contest for an improving three-year-old filly.
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