Next month, the talented fillies Queen Of Zafeen and Star Music will be tested to determine their potential for the upcoming 2024 season. Richard Hughes, their trainer, expresses confidence in their abilities and looks forward to unleashing their talent.
Both fillies are owned by Jaber Abdullah and have entries in the Qipco 1000 Guineas. However, depending on their performance in their respective trials, the trainer may consider options beyond Newmarket.
Queen Of Zafeen recently had a narrow loss in Lingfield's Spring Cup, and despite her rapid progress, she will participate in Newmarket's Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes to gain experience on grass. Following this race, a decision will be made regarding whether to compete in the Guineas in England or abroad, with the German 1000 Guineas being a potential target.
Regarding Queen Of Zafeen's performance in the Spring Cup, Hughes commented, "It was unfortunate that she didn't win, as she was only narrowly beaten at the finish. However, she had two colts beside her. I plan to run her in the Nell Gwyn since she lacks experience on grass, and everything has happened quite quickly for her. After the Spring Cup, she will have had a good break before the Nell Gwyn. At the moment, I'm leaning towards the German 1000 Guineas rather than the English Guineas, but I'll let her performance speak for itself."
Star Music will also be in action during the same week. The filly, who finished third in the Oh So Sharp Stakes, is set to participate in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes, also known as the Fred Darling, at Newbury on 20th April. Her performance in that race will determine whether she joins George Boughey's filly at ParisLongchamp for a potential French 1000 Guineas bid.
Hughes mentioned, "She will compete in the Fred Darling. I have a theory, which may be incorrect, that Zoustars perform better on a very flat track. They are similar to Exceed And Excels in that regard. Although she ran exceptionally well in the Oh So Sharp, I feel that Newmarket might not be the ideal track for her. If she performs well in her trial, I might consider Longchamp for her."