ANNIKE BYE HANSEN
Racehorse Trainer
annikebyehansen.com
Frøken Filippa - made a nice debut
Frøken Filippa, who is a daughter of Scandinavian champion Appel Au Maitre (photo) and a half-sister to three-year-old winner I See Fire (by Mutajally), shaped with promise when finishing third on her only start as a juvenile last year. Going off as the second favourite in Norsk Forening For Fullblodsavls 2-årsløp, run over 1370 metres on a soft turf course in October, she was beaten 2 1/4 lengths behind Neridiana, a nice filly that just shaded her in the betting market. Neiridiana had two runs under her belt already, having run a close second to Cardhu in Norsk Mesterskap for 2-åringer, and she went on to be runner-up against that same rival also in Norsk Rikstotos Oppdrettsløp (beaten just a head). These formlines indicate that Frøken Filippa is a talented runner. Going straight into a stakes event first time out is never easy and the form she produced on her racecourse debut was certainly up to maiden winning standard.
Her dam, Twistelittlestar (Aussie Rules), was a very useful runner who won the Dianalöpning (Swedish 1,000 Guineas) over 1600 metres at Täby Galopp back in 2013, when she also took the Treåringarnas Vårløpning over 1730 metres on dirt at Jägersro. Frøken Filippa's second dam, Miss Asia Quest, has also produced Climaxfortackle (5 wins in England; 6 and 8.5 furlongs) and Sir Kuantan (3 wins in England; 10 and 14 furlongs). Miss Asia Quest is a daughter of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Rainbow Quest out of Miss Kuta Beach (Bold Lad), a three-time winner in England and also dam of a winning Irish hurdler named Coral Seeker. This is a family giving mixed messages when it comes to the distanse preference department, and it will be interesting to see where Frøken Filippa fits in as a three-year-old. GS 24 Feb 20