Consent stepping up for Park Hill Stakes test

Sir Mark Prescott admits a longer trip and softer conditions are unknowns for Consent in the Betfred Park Hill Fillies’ Stakes at Doncaster on Thursday.

The three-year-old daughter of Lope De Vega has won two of her four starts and was unlucky to find trouble when stepping up to Group company for the first time at Deauville last month.

Consent rallied back after being boxed in late on to claim runner-up honours, two and a half lengths behind Andre Fabre’s Indalimos.

“She’s been fine, she ran well in Deauville,” Prescott said. “She was unlucky in running, but the winner won well. Who knows, it was one of those (races).

“She stayed on well, she ran very well and she stepped up on her previous runs. She’s run a little bit better with every race she’s ever had, which is encouraging.

“So you’re entitled to run her here and hope she runs well.

“She certainly goes well on the firm and whether she goes well on the soft, the sire (Lope De Vega) would say yes. They would say they are better with a bit of cut.

“This filly has always been very sound and active and light-framed, so she’s always gone well on the firm. So the good to soft would be unknown.”

On whether she would relish the step up to a mile and six furlongs, Prescott added: “Who knows. She always finishes her races well and she finished her race well with a troubled run last time.

“That may make it look like she’d stay further because she got into trouble. I don’t know, I think she’ll stay, but it’s an unknown and the ground is an unknown.”

The William Haggas-trained Santorini Star, meanwhile, hopes to build on her impressive win in handicap company at York.

“She’s fine, she’s in great form, stepping up from handicap company to Group Two will never be easy,” said Sean Graham, racing manager to joint-owner Tony Bloom.

“We are just hoping it’s a strongly-run race and she keeps improving. The ground is no worry to her.

“She’s been going well all year, I suppose we were a little disappointed with her when we sent her to Fairyhouse (finished fourth in a Group Three in July).

“She goes there with a chance. It’s a deep race and there’s lots of horses with very good chances and well-bred fillies, so it’s never going to be easy but as long as it’s a truly-run mile and six, that’s what we prefer.”

John and Thady Gosden, whose partnership landed this Group Two contest in 2021 and 2022, have four contenders on Town Moor.

Lillie Langtry runner-up Danielle leads the quartet, Queens Fort makes her first start in 448 days and Crepe Suzette and Zilfee both step up in class.

Of Zilfee, Barry Mahon, racing manager for owners Juddmonte, said: “She’s obviously been a slow project. She got an injury last year after she won her maiden first time out (subsequently disqualified after testing positive for a banned substance) and she went back for her novice this year and she won nicely.

“But this is a huge step up in class and she’s very lazy at home, hence why she wears the visor, and we are probably learning about her ourselves when we see her on the track.

“She’s a beautiful filly and she’s a half-sister to Enable, so she’s beautifully bred. We are hopeful rather than confident.”

Haggas also runs Chorus, while Give Thanks Stakes winner Elana Osario lines up for Paddy Twomey.

Floresta eyes a third triumph in four starts for Johnny Murtagh, Secret Of Love goes for Andrew Balding and David O’Meara’s Strassia completes the 11-runner field.