Rogue Passion tackles the Fillies' Mile Stakes (G1) Oct. 9 and heads to Newmarket Racecourse with the hottest form in the book.
The daughter of Sioux Nation, the projected 3-1 second favorite behind Musical Times, will be a first runner in a Newmarket group 1 for trainer Ed Bethell. Last month, she defeated the subsequent Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere (G1) winner Amusingly in the Prix d'Aumale (G2) at ParisLongchamp Racecourse.
Speaking at the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale in Newmarket Oct. 6, Bethell said of Rogue Passion: "We go there with a nice chance. We've beaten the best 2-year-old filly in France, so hopefully we can run a big race on Friday and see where we go after that."
Eight juvenile fillies have been declared for the Fillies' Mile, the highlight of the opening day of the Dubai Future Champions Festival.
Favored Musical Times is an undefeated chestnut Lope de Vega filly owned and bred by Godolphin and trained by Charlie Appleby. Her key accomplishment is a 7 1/2-length win in last month's May Hill Stakes (G2) at Doncaster Racecourse, after two novice wins at Newmarket and Yarmouth.
Bethell said: "We're looking forward to it, but Godolphin's Musical Times looks like a tough nut to crack and there are a lot of other nice fillies. Forbidden Fire looks smart and obviously you respect everything that comes out of Ballydoyle."
If things had been different, Rogue Passion would have taken on Musical Times before.
Bethell said: "We were originally in two minds about the May Hill at Doncaster and then we spotted the group 2 at Longchamp, which looked a suitable spot for her."
Newmarket has had 3.2 millimeters of rain in the last 24 hours, which is expected to ease the ground, but North Yorkshire-based Bethell is not concerned.
He said: "We've always thought she wanted a bit of juice in the ground, so the rain that's forecast should help. On the other hand, Musical Times looked incredibly good on soft ground at Doncaster.
"Regardless, we go there with a live chance. I'm not that worried about the ground we get, as long as it's not extremes."
Newmarket clerk of the course Andrew Morris will be overseeing his last Dubai Future Champions Festival after three years, as he is taking on another role within the United Kingdom's Jockey Club.
He said: "We're looking forward to a brilliant two days of racing. Thursday looks dry and Friday is looking like light showers and some more after racing.
"If we had the five to seven (millimeters of rain), we'd potentially start the meeting on good ground."
