Mamma Mia to shed rabbit suit in Arthur Jones

MAMMA MIA, the mare who played lightweight rabbit for stablemate FUNCAANDUN, setting up the American to floor local champion ATOMICA in back-to-back grade-one races last season, before making all in an overnight allowance, returns to the scene of the crime in Saturday’s Arthur Jones Memorial at six furlongs.

Since rallying to beat NEO STAR on February 8, MAMMA MIA, winner of the 2023 1000 Guineas and Jamaica Oaks, appears ready to shed her second-fiddle role in familiar company.

Since proving herself better than overnight allowance back in February, MAMMA MIA has spent her time in ‘conditions’ jail, finishing down the track behind Mouttet Mile runners such as BARNABY, COMMANDANT and PACK PLAYS, ending her ‘jail time’ by running GEOLITHIC and ATOMICA off the lead for FUNCAANDUN to stalk and land June’s Mark My Word Trophy.

Among MAMMA MIA’s rivals for the Arthur Jones is SONNY T AND CHIPPY, who, at the top of his game in February, was simply no match for the down-in-class mare, her 1:26.1 beating him into third place behind NEO STAR.

Sneaking back to overnight allowance on July 19 in an attempt to set up another foreign-bred stablemate, GIRVANO, both had their heads lopped off by RIDEALLDAY at a mile.

RIDEALLDAY returned to win last Saturday’s Poorlittlerichgirl at seven and a half furlongs in the fastest time at the trip this season, 1:31.1, bettering lone-speed MOJITO’s 1:31.2 and COMMANDANT’s 1:31.4.

Runner-up GIRVANO had already franked RIDEALLDAY’s form by starting a Derby Day hat-trick for champion trainer Jason DaCosta, dismissing overnight-allowance runners with contempt at seven and a half furlongs.

It’s definitely MAMMA MIA’s turn to play the form, having watched from just off the pace down the backstretch while another stablemate, CALIFORNIA CROWN, kept DESERT OF MALIBU honest on the lead in this year’s She’s A Maneater for FUNCAANDUN to grab the mare at the wire on July 26.

A strong rail-runner, MAMMA MIA gets her desire in the Arthur Jones, post-position one and a suitable trip. If there’s to be an upsetter, look to a foreigner, Philip Feanny’s FEARLESS FORCE, who will be closing fast should she break cleanly.