Slow start no problem for Wild Beauty in G1 Natalma Stakes

Wild Beauty punched her ticket for the Breeders’ Cup as she overcame a troubled start to post an easy success in the G1 Natalma Stakes at Woodbine, Canada, on Sunday, 19 September.

The Charlie Appleby-trained filly jinked left leaving the stalls and was buffeted on both sides, forcing her to race in last of the 10 runners early on.

She recovered some ground down the back straight and quickened strongly after being switched wide by Frankie Dettori down the lane, taking up the running a furlong and a half from home.

Wild Beauty soon took command and coasted home in the closing stages to beat Pizza Bianca by a cosy two and a quarter lengths.

Victory in the mile contest secured the Frankel homebred a guaranteed spot in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar on Friday, 5 November.

Frankie Dettori said: “Wild Beauty jumped with the rest of the field but got squeezed and backed off. Luckily for me, they were going a pretty honest pace in front and, by the time I got to the quarter-pole, they all fell in my lap. She stays really well, so it worked out quite well.

“It will be a 14-strong field at Del Mar and she will need the draw, while the stretch is very short, so you will need all the luck. She definitely has the talent to make a good account of herself, but it’s a very different ball game compared to Woodbine.”