Tuesday 27 September 2016 16:40, UK
The new EBF Breeders' Fillies Series draws to a close at Newmarket's Rowley Mile Racecourse on Saturday with the staging of the last four of its 20 races - open handicaps over six, eight, ten and 12 furlongs worth £50,000 apiece.
The instigation of these valuable events has been rewarded with a strong entry with a total of 80 fillies and mares engaged in the four races at the five-day entry stage.
Seven of the 80 are eligible for a special Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (TBA) bonus - an extra prize of £25,000 in the form of a stallion covering voucher available to any filly that wins one of Saturday's four races having also notched a top three finish in an earlier leg of the Series.
They must also be British-bred or sired by a British domiciled stallion and be owned by a current member of the TBA.
A full list of the seven entries eligible for the bonus (providing their owners are current members of the TBA prior to October 1st) is as follows:
Guishan (trainer: Michael Appleby), Hidden Rebel (Alistair Whillans), Lustrous (David O'Meara), Motdaw (Mick Channon), Sharja Queen (Roger Varian), Sightline (Ralph Beckett), Stellarta (Michael Blanshard).
One of the septet, Sightline, beat another, Sharja Queen, in the Grosvenor Shopping Centre/EBF Breeders' Fillies Series at Chester in late June.
Sightline is a candidate for Saturday's 1m 2f leg and is part of a strong entry from trainer Ralph Beckett, who is represented in all four of Saturday's contests.
His other entries are Crowning Glory, winner of three of her last four starts, in the 1m leg; July's Carlisle scorer, Emerald Loch,in the 6f leg; and The Begum, a daughter of Zamindar who will be stepping up to 1m 4f for the first time if she runs on Saturday.
Beckett said: "I think that the EBF Breeders' Fillies Series has been a real bonus for owners, breeders and trainers and has worked well.
"These things can take time to bed in but the races have been competitive throughout the Series and I hope that they will continue to be well supported on Saturday.
"Sightline got a bit jarred up on fast ground at York on her latest run so she has had a break. She's working well but we are hoping for a drop of rain for her.
"Crowning Glory could well run on Saturday as she wants fast ground. She is not very big but is thriving on her racing and could still be improving.
"Emerald Loch ran a bit flat at Nottingham last time and definitely needs some juice in the ground.
"The step up to a mile and a half should suit The Begum and she's ready to go again. But she's another one who really needs some rain."
