Nicholls eyeing six-furlong switch for Maw Lam geegeez.co.uk

Adrian Nicholls knew he had a smart filly on his hands in the shape of Maw Lam and despite her being sent off at 50-1 in the Queen Mary, she justified his confidence with a fast-finishing third.

Had she hit top gear earlier under Hollie Doyle, the daughter of Acclamation may well have troubled the impressive winner Leovanni.

Given how well she finished her race, Nicholls is considering options over six furlongs as well as five, but as yet nothing is set in stone.

“We’ve got a few options going forward,” he said.

“She’ll probably get put in the second stage of the Prix Robert Papin, the Cherry Hinton could be on the cards also. Any five or six-furlong race from Listed upwards will be in the mix, I’ll have to talk to Chris Hirst (owner) about it.

“She ran a really good race and she is obviously a very talented filly but there isn’t a very good programme after Ascot for five-furlong two-year-olds, so we might have to step her up to six – I think she’ll stay though.

“The Molecomb is an option but with Goodwood being speed orientated, it might take her off her feet. Hollie did say it wasn’t as if she missed the break, though, she was just slow into her stride, but you can’t do that at Goodwood.

“That’s my job to do some work around the stalls, but over six it won’t be so much of an issue.

“It would be nice to win a Listed race before moving back up but she’s in the sales race at York, which is a big pot. Chris is building his own team of broodmares and as she’s got the black type, it’s not like he’s trying to promote her to sell her, so that’s an option.”

Star filly! Leovanni storms to victory in the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal @Ascot! pic.twitter.com/3X5LXKtuWq

— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) June 19, 2024

Nicholls went on: “I think she’s the best juvenile we’ve had, the good horses we’ve had have developed later on. We had Mamba Wamba and then Mo Celita came along, but she’s the best juvenile we’ve had. Normally our horses progress.

“She could have been second at Ascot, with a bit of luck she’d have won the Hilary Needler, so she’s going the right way. You need the rub of the green and hopefully she’ll get it somewhere this year.

“Tony Hamilton does a lot of work with her and he told us in February that she was a bit special.”