International Horse Profile: Precise

Scouting Report for Precise

Precise is the one to beat with a four-race winning spree, including a pair of Breeders’ Cup Challenge events. But Aidan O’Brien’s instant reaction after her latest coup in the Fillies’ Mile (G1) was to put her away for the year. Was his initial instinct right? 

Only one past Fillies’ Mile winner has advanced to the Breeders’ Cup, the Charlie Hills-trained Chriselliam (2013), and she turned a unique double in this race. O’Brien has had two contenders place in both – September just missed in the 2017 Fillies’ Mile and finished third in the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), while Mother Earth was third at Newmarket before rallying for second in this spot. 

Bred by the O’Brien family’s Whisperview Trading, Precise is by the brilliant Australian Starspangledbanner and out of a Galileo mare. Her dam is a full sister to multiple stakes victor Kingfisher, who placed in the Irish Derby (G1) and the 2 1/2-mile Gold Cup (G1) at Royal Ascot. She descends from champion miler Sonic Lady, the 1987 Mile favorite who was third behind Miesque. 

Precise was runner-up on debut at Fairyhouse, where she wandered around and raced greenly. But once the 6-1 chance figured out what she was supposed to do, she finished strongly in the six-furlong contest. She hasn’t lost since. 
 

Up to seven furlongs at Cork, Precise attended the pace and just needed to be nudged to assert. She was receiving a five-pound weight break with apprentice Jack Cleary aboard, but she was much the best in any event. The favored runner-up, Cape Sounion, had played second fiddle in her prior starts, including to Balantina and Composing. 

Precise shipped to England for the “Win and You’re In” Prestige (G3) at Goodwood, where her professionalism carried the day. Handling the sharp, right-handed track better than beaten favorite Moon Target, Precise tracked the pace and kept on “straight and true,” in racecaller Mark Johnston’s phrase. 

The Prestige form worked out. Third-placer Aylin went on to win the May Hill (G2), fourth-placer Sukanya finished second to Ballydoyle’s highly-regarded Diamond Necklace in the Ingabelle S., and even the sixth, Orion’s Belt, was runner-up in the Dick Poole (G3). Moon Target hasn’t built on her Prestige second as hoped, but she was third in the Rockfel (G2). 

Precise appeared to face a taller order in the “Win and You’re In” Moyglare (G1), as an ostensible understudy to even-money stablemate Composing. But Composing, braving the headwind in front, was all out trying to fend off another Ballydoyle challenger, Beautify, when Precise powered past them both. British shipper Venetian Sun, who had just toppled Gstaad in the Prix Morny (G1), closed to snatch third from Composing. 

The new pecking order was reflected in the Fillies’ Mile. Precise ranked as the favorite with Christophe Soumillon aboard, and she ratified her status with her most dominant display. Anchored at the rear early behind a demanding pace, she advanced traveling best of all, and despite jinking to her right in Newmarket’s Dip, she got to the leader sooner than Soumillon wanted. 

Bold front-runner Venetian Lace was exceeding herself as a 40-1 longshot, but Precise surged up the rising ground to win by 3 1/2 lengths, with ears pricked. Her time of 1:35.46 wasn’t far off the juvenile course record, and according to timing maven Simon Rowlands, it was the fastest Fillies’ Mile since it switched to Newmarket (beginning in 2011). 

But there is a potential caveat for Del Mar, even if Precise turns up in the same form. In both the Moyglare and the Fillies’ Mile, she didn’t break as well as you’d like. The Moyglare pace was slow enough for her to recover into a striking position, and last time out, she had the luxury of the straight Rowley Mile to hunt them down. If she gets behind in a big field on a turning track, with a short stretch, she’d complicate her task. After the draw, the question is what kind of trip she’ll work out from post 13.