Spirited Gesture putting reputation on the line in Rockfel

Spirited Gesture puts both her unbeaten record and growing reputation on the line in the Betway Rockfel Stakes at Newmarket on Friday.

From a family well known to trainers John and Thady Gosden, the daughter of Kingman impressed on her July course debut in early August before growing her profile quietly with another taking display at Newcastle when most eyes were trained on York’s Ebor Festival.

She now steps into Group Two company with ideas of a third run for experience at Goodwood recently shelved due to conditions on the Sussex Downs, but connections are hopeful she can take the necessary steps to continue climbing the ladder on the Rowley Mile.

“She’s a beautiful filly with a great pedigree and being a sister to Coppice and Calyx, John and Thady know the family well,” said Barry Mahon, European racing manager for owners Juddmonte.

“She looked really good the first day, albeit she probably didn’t learn much, and Rab (Havlin) thought she was very green again at Newcastle, so hopefully she will have improved from that.

“Going into a Group Two she will have to have improved in terms of her being streetwise. You would have liked to have had a third run going into a race like this, but the ground came up very soft at Goodwood when we were hoping to run her. But her work at home is good and we’re hopeful of a good run.”

It was also on the July course where Eve Johnson Houghton’s Sugar Yes Please outlined her credentials for this contest when beating a useful cast to claim the Sweet Solera Stakes.

Johnson Houghton said: “She’s earned her place and won really well in the Group Three Sweet Solera.

“She won that really well and has improved at home and is a lovely filly. This will probably be her last run this year, but I would like to think she will go there with a really good chance.

“She deserves a step up in class. She has won a Group Three so the next thing you have to go for is a Group Two.”

Another heading into the race with a Group Three victory to her name is Karl Burke’s Light Of Dawn who relished the step up in trip when winning Goodwood’s Prestige Stakes.

However, connections are keen for the ground not to become too quick ahead of what would be a first outing at Headquarters.

Richard Brown, racing adviser for owners Wathnan Racing, explained: “She won well and enjoyed the move up to seven in the Prestige and we’re looking forward to seeing her again, but we will keep an eye on conditions and she won’t run if the ground is too quick.”

Ed Walker’s Sienna Storm was three lengths adrift in fourth that day and is also among the 10 heading to post, while Jennie Candlish’s Redline, formerly with Charlie Johnston, was well held even further behind but interestingly has the assistance of champion jockey Oisin Murphy here.

Further spice is added by Richard Spencer’s supplemented Doncaster scorer Speed Of Sound who had earlier this year accounted for the reopposing Pensando A Te, a clear-cut winning favourite for Marco Botti at Ascot earlier this month.

Richard and Peter Fahey’s Ruby Moon makes a quick return having finished second in last weekend’s Firth of Clyde up at Ayr, with George Scott’s Sea Venture and Roger Varian’s Miss Miniver completing the line-up.