Villanova Queen (red cap) winning the Kensington Palace at Royal Ascot last year© Photo Healy Racing
Jessica Harrington sends last year's Royal Ascot handicap winner Villanova Queen to Pontefract this afternoon to contest the Listed Pipalong Stakes for fillies and mares over one mile.
The five-year-old, who contest an Irish 1000 Guineas in 2022, has had a low key start to this season, but she is no forlorn hope in today's contest.
On her most recent outing she finished behind two of today's rivals, Doha and Elim, when a creditable 9th of 24 at Royal Ascot in the same race she had won 12 months earlier, the Kensington Palace Handicap. On this recent occasion Villanova Queen was conceding upwards of a stone in weight to each of that pair, but in today's Listed contest the trio all compete off level weights.
Oisin Orr has been booked to ride Villanova Queen this afternoon.
