Good Cheer in search of more G1 acclaim in Cotillion Stakes at Parx

Kentucky Oaks winner Good Cheer looks to record a second G1 win and take a major step towards Champion Three-Year-Old Filly honours in a deep renewal of the Cotillion Stakes at Parx in US on Saturday.

Trained by Brad Cox, the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro recorded a seventh straight victory when dominating the Churchill Downs Classic in May, adding to her G2 success in the Golden Rod Stakes, Rachel Alexandra Stakes and Fair Grounds Oaks.

Sent to Saratoga for the summer, Good Cheer failed to give her running on a sloppy track in June’s G1 Acorn Stakes as she trailed home fifth behind La Cara. She produced a better effort in the G1 Alabama Stakes in mid-August, when she stuck to her task to go down by a length and a half to Nitrogen.

Her rivals in the Cotillion include La Cara, who was fourth in the Alabama Stakes, and runaway G1 Coaching Club American Oaks winner Scottish Lassie.

Michael Banahan, Director of Bloodstock, Godolphin USA, said: “Brad has been very happy with Good Cheer since her run in the Alabama. It appears that there will be more pace in the G1 Cotillion with the two front-runners drawn one and two, while another couple in the field appear to have speed.

“That should help Good Cheer to have some pace to close into. Brad indicated that she is ready to roll, and Luis Saez retains the ride. This is the last Classic distance race for three-year-old fillies and the winner will be in pole position for championship honours. I expect her to run well.”

Zardozi springs into Underwood Stakes calculations: A fast-finishing second behind the flying Pride Of Jenni at the same track and distance back in the autumn has trainer Ciaron Maher quietly confident in Zardozi’s winning chances in Saturday’s G1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.

The classy Godolphin mare gave away a big start in the G2 Peter Young Stakes over 1,800m on 15 March before powering to the line at her third run back from a spell.

While she’s only second-up this Saturday, after an eye-catching fifth in the So You Think Stakes (1,500m) at The Valley from last at the 800m pole two weeks ago, Zardozi had the benefit of two Randwick barrier trials before heading south to join Maher’s Cranbourne stable.

Maher was pleased with the former VRC Oaks winner’s effort at The Valley and believes she’ll prove hard to beat in the Underwood, run under weight-for-age conditions.

“It’s a race we’ve had in mind for a little while,” Maher said.

“She’s come through her first run in good order. She had to go back there, and all the data from the first race was quite good.

“I would have liked to have drawn (10) a fraction better, but she’s in a good spot.”

Maher said dodging Maybe Diva Stakes runners Via Sistina, Mr Brightside, Antino and Aeliana last week was a positive, but the Underwood had still drawn a quality field.

“The elite horses ran last week, but your Buckaroos, Gai’s (Waterhouse) horse Sir Delius and horses like that are going to be hard to beat,” he said.

“We had to take our medicine first-up and slide back. Like I said, all the data from the race was all very positive and I think she had the slickest last furlong for the meeting.

“Had she drawn better, she would have finished a helluva lot closer.

“All the signs are very positive and she is bright and well in herself.”

Jamie Melham retains the ride and Zardozi only has to run up to expectations to be in the mix for races like the G1 Turnbull Stakes (2,000m), G1 Might And Power Stakes (2,000m), and possibly the G1 Caulfield Cup over 2,400m next month.

“She’s certainly on that path, depending on how she goes,” Maher said.

“She probably stays on a weight-for-age path for her next run and whether you go to the Caulfield Cup, we’ll have a chat to the (Godolphin) team?

“I think she’s coming up very well and think she’ll run well.

“Our options are quite open; if she ran well we could go to a Caulfield Stakes (Might And Power) and she might back up.