Rockfel Victory Full Of Promise

Promising Run took the step up to Group Two company in her stride with an impressive win in the Shadwell Rockfel Stakes over seven furlongs of the Rowley Mile Course at Newmarket, UK, on Friday, September 25.

The Saeed bin Suroor-trained two-year-old, successful in a maiden over the same distance on Newmarket's July Course on August 28 and racing for the third time after finishing third on debut over six furlongs at Goodwood, broke quickly and settled in second for James Doyle as Flying Empress set a good pace up front.

The daughter of Hard Run ran on to take the lead just over a furlong from home and opened up a clear advantage in the closing stages to score by a length and three quarters over Thetis in an excellent time of 1m 23.55s on ground described as good, good to soft in places.

Saeed bin Suroor commented: "Promising Run in an improving filly. She showed some class when winning her maiden on the July Course and we like her a lot.

"It was a good result to win a Group Two race the way she did today and I think a mile will be even better for her. She could go a mile and a quarter next season.

"She is entered in the Dubai Fillies' Mile (Group One, Newmarket, October 9), although it is only two weeks away and we will see how she comes out of this race first.

"We will talk to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and make a decision whether to take her out to Dubai for the Classics there or keep here in Newmarket over the winter."

James Doyle added: "Promising Run has done well and it has been a nice progression from her first run to today.

"She put up a good performance last time on the July Course when I made all on her. Today it was nice to have a target - Andrea (Atzeni) set good fractions up front and I sat a couple of lengths off the leader and had a target to aim at.

"She struggled a little bit with the undulations of the course but, when she met the rising ground, she finished off well.

"I did lose a bit of momentum going into the dip - she was pricking her ears like she did in the last furlong at the July Course - and I was hoping that something would come and help me along.

"Once she felt Sir Michael Stoute's filly come to challenge, she just lengthened away nicely again.

"I was having a chat with Saeed after the race and we felt that she definitely needs another furlong now and could want further next year.

"If she progresses again, she will be a nice filly. She is a strong, galloping filly who really lengthens.

"It was much easier ground when she won on the July Course and we were a little bit worried today but she coped with the conditions very well. She goes through ease in the ground well but will act on good ground no problem."

Promising Run is the third Godolphin winner of the Rockfel Stakes, following on from Moonlight Paradise (1996) and Lucida (2014).