Ylang Ylang takes the Fillies' Mile

Two-year-old filly Ylang Ylang provided Frankel with his third winner of the Gr.1 Fillies' Mile in the last five years (the others being Quadrilateral and Inspiral) at Newmarket today.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 13th October 2023, by Tom Frary:

The Gr.1 Fillies' Mile became a test of stamina and character and there was no shirking of the issue from TDN 'Rising Star' Ylang Ylang as she provided Aidan O'Brien with a sixth renewal of the Newmarket feature. Beaten twice since winning Leopardstown's Gr.3 Silver Flash Stakes in July, the 1.5million gns Book 1 relative of Viva Pataca was better than the bare form of her third in this track's seven-furlong Gr.2 Rockfel Stakes last month and had race tactics to suit if not the soft ground with stablemate Brilliant the target up ahead.

Checked momentarily as the Rockfel runner-up Shuwari was carried left into her path by the Gr.2 May Hill S. runner-up See The Fire approaching two out, the 9-2 shot was pulled around that duo by Ryan Moore and began pursuit into the dip. Taking until the last 50 yards to get by, she was firmly on top at the line to reverse form with Shuwari and prevail by half a length from that 3-1 favourite, with See The Fire three-quarters of a length away in third.

“It all went a little bit pear-shaped in mid-season and it's hard to come back like that, but she's classy and very brave,” O'Brien said. “She's very exciting for next year and I'd imagine the lads will want her to start in the Guineas, but she'll have no problem going further.”