This is generally a battle between Godolphin and Mike De Kock as it was a year ago when the former's Local Time beat Ad Idem before landing the real thing the following month. The South African is represented this time by Almashooqa, who will have been earmarked for this after her narrow defeat in the Group 1 Golden Slipper at Greyville last summer. But, like most of her trainer's runners, she may just need the outing and PROMISING RUN looks the better option. Saeed Bin Surror's filly looked very smart when landing the Group 2 Rockfel at Newmarket in September and she pulled too hard when tackling the Group 1 Fillies' Mile over an extra furlong back there a couple of weeks later. The stable is also represented by Pure Diamond, a dual winner over a mile at Kempton and clearly nowhere near her best in the Group 2 May Hill at Doncaster where she reportedly lost her action. It's difficult to know what to make of Polar River, who made her debut in an all-aged maiden over 6f here early last month and won by a massive margin.
Almashooqa (AUS) 4-1 (9-6) Tried hard late, 2nd of 16, 1 1/2l behind Chestnuts N Pearls (9-6) at Greyville 7f fll gd in Jul.
Promising Run (USA) 6-1 (9-0) Keen prominent, ridden 2f out, soon weakened, 7th of 10, 16 1/4l behind Minding (9-0) at Newmarket 1m Grp 1 fll (1) gs in Oct.
Burnt Pavlova (USA) 8-1 (8-9) Held up in last pair, headway tracking leaders halfway, ridden over 1f out, weakened inside final furlong, 5th of 7, 7 3/4l behind Art Echo (8-9) at Brighton 7f mdn stks (5) sft in Oct.
Dolly Dagger (SWE) (0-0) won at Jagersro 6f in Sep
High Start (USA) (8-5) 10th of 16, 14 3/4l behind Sky Jockey (9-6) at Jebel Ali 7f mdn stks fst in Dec.
Kabaw (IRE) (8-5) 3rd of 12, 17 1/4l behind Polar River (8-5) at Meydan 6f mdn stks fst in Dec.
Polar River (USA) (8-5) won at Meydan 6f mdn stks fst in Dec beating Quiet Diplomacy (9-6) by 13 1/2l, 12 ran.
Pure Diamond 4-6fav (9-2) Held up tracking leading trio, headway on inside over 2f out, quickened to lead over 1f out, ran on well, ridden out, won at Kempton 1m stks (4) pol in Sep beating Zodiakos (9-4) by 3/4l, 5 ran.