Alta Regina, Velozee Hook Up in Princess Margaret

Two-year-old fillies seek to make a name for themselves in the Princess Margaret Stakes (G3) July 25 at Ascot Racecourse. As a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In event, the winner will receive a berth to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) Oct. 30 at Keeneland. The field's top runners exit stakes attempts last month at the royal meeting at Ascot and will be aiming to avenge themselves Saturday. Wathnan Racing's Alta Regina (IRE) was sixth of 27 in the always competitive Queen Mary Stakes (G2) over 5 furlongs. Trainer Hamad Al Jehani now stretches the Sioux Nation filly to 6 furlongs for another group attempt. Velozee (IRE), trained by Paddy Twomey, also exits the Queen Mary, where she finished eighth. Another daughter of Sioux Nation, she was victorious in the First Flier Stakes May 4 at the Curragh, before a fourth-place finish in the Juvenile Fillies Sprint Stakes (G3) at Naas Racecourse. Mrs. E. Roberts' Dark Issue (IRE) and Ahmad Alkhallafi's Moonrise (IRE) both raced the 6-furlong distance in their stakes debuts. The former ran fourth beaten 2 1/2 lengths in the June 19 Albany Stakes (G3), while the latter was second, beaten a half-length in the June 17 Windsor Castle Stakes, both at Royal Ascot. Dee's Funny Girl (IRE) also ran in the Albany Stakes, finishing sixth for trainer Michael Keady. Ryan Moore gets the mount for new trainer Donnacha O'Brien on the daughter of Cotai Glory (GB).