Rogue Millennium has already earned herself pride of place in the hearts of both her ownership group, the Rogues Gallery, and trainer Tom Clover, thanks to her victory in the Duke of Cambridge Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot when played late by Daniel Tudhope.
Now she has earned herself a return to group 1 company for the first time since last season’s Nassau Stakes (G1) for the July 30 Prix Rothschild (G1) which, somewhat unusually, does not boast a previous winner at the highest level.
Rogue Millennium has looked an improved performer at four, although the figure she posted for winning over a mile at Ascot was the same as for her narrow defeat in the Middleton Stakes (G2) at York in May over a mile and a quarter.
“I couldn’t be happier with her going (in the Prix Rothschild),” Clover said of Rogue Millenium. “She’s much sharper in her work this year and I feel she’s really improved from three to four. In the Middleton, they didn’t go an overly strong pace and she was able to run a huge race before maybe getting just outstayed, which made us think of dropping back to a stiff mile at Ascot.
“She’s ground versatile and we won’t be blaming that if she gets beaten. It’s terrific to have a runner in a race like this for her syndicate owners.”
That Racing Post Rating of 113—one which is matched by the supplemented Mqse De Sevigne —is lower than that carried into the race by any of the last five older fillies to land the Rothschild.
Grande Dame could only finish eighth in the Duke of Cambridge but had been off the track since finishing third in last season’s Sun Chariot Stakes (G1) and is entitled to come forward.
A trio of closely-matched 3-year-olds are all snapping at Rogue Millennium’s heels, with Remarquee finishing just a head in front of Sounds Of Heaven when the pair filled the minor places behind Tahiyra in the Coronation Stakes (G1). You can argue that is the strongest piece of form on offer.
Remarquee subsequently finished best of the rest when five lengths adrift of Nashwa in the Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) on rain-softened ground, suggesting she should cope with a track which is almost certain to ride on the slow side, but by no means testing.
Kelina nestles between Remarquee and Sounds Of Heaven on RPRs and her Prix Sandringham (G3) form puts her right in the argument, while the filly that chased her home at Chantilly, Sauterne , came close to springing a shock over seven furlongs of this straight track in the Prix Jean Prat (G1) and may set a decent target for the closers to aim at.
