Shes Perfect eyeing Conqueror Stakes comeback

While all eyes are on the first Classic of the season, it will be Goodwood that has the full focus of Basher Watts when star performer Shes Perfect makes her return in the Conqueror Fillies’ Stakes.

The Charlie Fellowes-trained daughter of Sioux Nation put the social media influencer and his growing racing club in the spotlight last year, denied French Guineas glory in the stewards’ room before big-money offers from Japan rolled in prior to a tilt at Classic compensation in the Prix de Diane.

Shes Perfect failed to stay at Chantilly in what was her final action at three, but a bigger and stronger model is ready to write the next chapter of her career after tuning up for her May 2 comeback on the Sussex Downs with a pleasing gallop at Huntingdon recently.

Watts said: “We went to Huntingdon and Kieran Shoemark came to ride her and she worked with a lovely 95-rated six-to-seven furlong horse. It sets her up nicely for the Conqueror Stakes at Goodwood and fingers crossed we can get some winning black type on her page, which we feel we should have but we don’t.

“They worked just under seven furlongs and she came back in from her winter break 50kg heavier than her race weight in the Prix de Diane last summer. She’s grown a lot but she’s a big girl and needed the gallop big time as it’s been hard to get the weight off her.

“She’s still around 20kg heavier but that’s just because she’s grown and strengthened since we saw her last year and hopefully an even better, quicker, stronger horse this year.

“Kieran said he was really happy with her work. He said he just wanted to see her relax and she did. She led the piece and Kieran really struggled to pull her up, she was only just getting going at the end and is a real grinder.

“I can’t wait to see her back and we think she’s looking fantastic. She’s fit but should step forward for the run as well and we hope it’s the start of a great year where she is bigger, stronger and better.”

The Listed Conqueror Stakes was won by John and Thady Gosden’s Crimson Advocate 12 months ago, who would then go on to land the Duke of Cambridge Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Shes Perfect is set to follow the same path to the summer showpiece, with connections also having a return to France in mind for the back-end of her season, with a swansong pencilled in for ParisLongchamp and what could prove a fitting finale back at the scene of last year’s heartbreak.

Watts added: “We’re thinking a mile around the bend at Goodwood would be perfect or a straight seven would suit as well for her. We got it wrong going for the Diane but you have to try to work out these things. We learned she didn’t stay but now we can say a mile maximum.

“After that we’ll hopefully head to Royal Ascot for the Duke of Cambridge Stakes. That’s her first two targets for her and the long-term plan is to go back to Longchamp on Arc day for the Prix de la Foret and hopefully right some wrongs.

“That is likely to be her last run for us and hopefully it could prove a fairy tale ending at a place we have so much history, it would be great to finish on a high.”