Charlie Appleby's Desert Flower will put her unbeaten record on the line as she bids to enhance her Classic credentials in the Group 1 bet365 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket on Friday.
Following back-to-back impressive victories over seven furlongs on Newmarket's July Course in the summer, Desert Flower quickly proved she was capable of handling the step up in grade when running out a comfortable one-and-a-half-length winner of the reopposing January in the Group 2 May Hill Stakes at Doncaster last month.
The daughter of Night Of Thunder, who is a general well-backed 10/11 shot to claim Group 1 glory on the Rowley Mile, will be bidding to give Charlie Appleby a first victory in the contest.
In a post on Godolphin's X account, Appleby said: "Desert Flower has done nothing wrong and is three from three. She won on her last start over a mile at Doncaster in the May Hill and it's a very traditional step to go from there into the Fillies' Mile.
"She goes there in great shape and she's probably the worthy favourite and she's done very well since Doncaster."
Standing in her way is a trio of Aidan O'Brien-trained challengers who look to give the master of Ballydoyle a record-breaking seventh Fillies' Mile. Dreamy, Ballet Slippers and January all stood their ground at Thursday's declaration stage, with Ryan Moore somewhat surprisingly opting to ride the reopposing January over her unbeaten stablemate Dreamy.
Speaking to Betfair, Moore said: "January is a filly I've always liked and her win in the Churchill Stakes at Tipperary showed her potential. We obviously have to overturn a defeat to Desert Flower in the May Hill, that will be hard, but my filly is tough and will give the favourite plenty to think about."
Dreamy will be hoping to keep her perfect record intact after following up her debut success at Goodwood with a Group 3 victory in the Newtownanner Stud Stakes at the Curragh in August, while the beautifully-bred Ballet Slippers – a daughter of Dubawi out of the multiple Group 1 winner Magical – takes a step up in class after getting off the mark at the third time of asking at Ascot last month.
The twice-raced pair Tabiti and Anna Swan also both put their unbeaten records on the line, with the former, who represents connections of last weekend's Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine Bluestocking, stepping up to a mile after victory in the six-furlong Group 3 Dick Poole Stakes at Salisbury.
"She's in good form and the Dick Poole seemed a strong race," Ryan told the PA.
"She's very unfurnished and there's still plenty more potential to come out of her, so we're hoping for a good run.
"Time will tell how good she is, but we have to find one to replace Bluestocking if she doesn't stay in training next year and she's doing the right things so far."
Anna Swan made it two from two in her career with a routine conditions race success at Newbury last month. The Cheveley Park-owned Almanzor filly will be hoping to give Sir Michael Stoute a first victory in the contest since Red Bloom scored for the same connections in 2003.
AMO Racing's California Dreamer completes the field of seven.
