The Flying Fillies’ Stakes betting tips at Horsebetting.com say Darkanna looks worth a wager to land the Listed 6f Flying Fillies’ Stakes at Pontefract on Sunday, 19 August. Richard Fahey stablemate Dance Diva is feared most now dropped back in trip, while Johnny Murtagh’s Irish raider Golden Spell is an each-way option. Read all about these horses’ hopes of landing this feature race in our 2018 Flying Fillies’ Stakes betting tips preview.Darkanna fancied for Flying Fillies’ successYorkshire trainer Richard Fahey saddled Queen Kindly to land the spoils in the Flying Fillies’ Stakes 12 months ago and is double-handed in this year’s renewal of the 6f Listed contest at Pontefract on Sunday (15:35). Preference from his pair is for Darkanna, who has some very smart juvenile form in the book and has been lightly-raced since.
The three-year-old was a four-length fifth to Clemmie in the Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes on her penultimate start last season and duly came on for that run in elite company by landing the Listed Two-Year-Old Trophy at Redcar to round off her campaign in style. Racing in the centre of the course, Darkanna took it up over two out and ran on well to the line.
She was giving the runner-up and third home Foxtrot Lady, who re-opposes here, 7lb but now they meet again off level weights. Darkanna should thus have absolutely nothing to fear from that Andrew Balding trained filly, who steps back up from handicap company to take her own again.
This daughter of Dark Angel then tackled 1m for the first time out in the Middle East at Doha on reappearance in February, but faded in the final furlong of another Listed affair to finish a 7 1/2 lengths eighth to Tip Two Win, who was a subsequently gallant runner-up in the 2000 Guineas.
That is form of the highest order that sets a clear standard here and, although Darkanna has a racecourse absence of 178 days to overcome, it may be that connections have laid her out for this. Dropping back in trip is also a massive plus, so she looks well worth a wager to resume winning ways here.Dance Diva a danger if bouncing backDarkanna’s stable companion Dance Diva can be forgiven her run when 10th in a hot Group 3 contest at Glorious Goodwood over 7f last time out and is another who drops down in the distance as well as grade. As a Listed winner at this trip last season and on her penultimate start this term, she could well be the main danger if bouncing back to that form.
The three-year-old is out of a Shamardal mare and progressed as a juvenile by winning her first three starts. Dance Diva was at her most impressive when landing a Listed affair at Newmarket when always prominent and running on to score by 1 1/4 lengths.
Fahey and owners Cheveley Park Stud sent her to Ascot for the Group 3 Princess Margaret Stakes off the back of that effort and she was far from disgraced when a five-length runner-up to Nyaleti. She has flittered between that company and this level since.
While stepping Dance Diva up to a mile at York and then Epsom didn’t work, the drop back to 7f for her second Listed success at Carlisle was more like it as she just held on to score by a neck. That in turn suggests that going down in distance again will be no problem.
As she has won off 2lb higher than her current mark of 98, the ease in grade is a definite plus and there is every chance Dance Diva will reverse the placings on Promising, who finished a short-head in front of her in that Goodwood Group 3 last time out. With a trip that clearly suits, she could be involved in the finish and as possible 1-2 for Fahey.Golden Spell each-way value for MurtaghJohnny Murtagh sends the experienced three-year-old Golden Spell after the spoils here having run a number of solid races in defeat both this and last season, so this looks as though a significant bid from the Irish raider is expected. A winner of three of her 15 starts under rules, the daughter of Al Kazeem has also made the frame on seven other occasions.
It gives Golden Spell a strong win and place percentage of 67 that – given some of the sorts she has finished in-behind to – could well be worth exploiting here. She has Group 3 runs behind Happily over 7f and subsequent July Cup hero U S Navy Flag at this trip on her CV.
This is far easier than those hot juvenile runs or some of the Listed events Golden Spell has contest this season. Connections clearly mean business as Oisin Murphy takes the ride, so she could go well under the in-form pilot and easily make the frame here.Your Next Bet
