Top-class sprinter Believing is set for a tilt at the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes on the opening day of Royal Ascot. The 5-year-old Mehmas filly will return in what is set to be her final season on the track, as connections confirmed she is in foal to Frankel.
A three-time graduate of the Tattersalls sales ring, Believing stands as one of its flagship alumni. She was most recently sold for 3 million guineas at the Tattersalls December Mares Sale to MV Magnier of Coolmore, having previously raced under the banner of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing after Jake Warren bought her for 115,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Craven Breeze Up.
Following the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, Believing justified her price tag when storming to victory in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint on Dubai World Cup night, representing her new owners Coolmore and long-time trainer George Boughey, who has trained her since the start of her career.
Ahead of Royal Ascot, Tattersalls paid a visit to George Boughey's new stable on the Hamilton Road, which he acquired and moved his string to earlier this year.
Speaking about her Ascot preparation, Boughey said:
"She couldn't be in better order. She's been a very different filly this year from almost the turn of the year.
"I think the switch to the new stable has been a huge help for her, she seems very happy, she doesn't seem to be showing any different signs, her work's been very strong and the data that she collects with every piece of work has been progressive and she looks bang on track."
Success in the Group 1 Al Quoz Sprint earlier this year came as somewhat of a relief for Boughey as the five-year-old had been previously placed in four Group 1 contests, missing out by the narrowest of margins.
Reflecting on the Meydan victory, Boughey told Tattersalls:
"It was a huge result in Dubai to get her Group 1 win. Her general demeanour and her work had been top class; she's a filly who has always threatened to win a Group 1.
"I slightly blame myself as I kept running her over five [furlongs]. She had bad draws and you need everything to go your way at the minimum trip when you don't get a good draw.
"The flat six [furlongs] at Meydan suited her down to the ground and she got a brilliant ride from William [Buick]. She just showed that customary attitude to hit the line so strong, it was great."
Although Believing's days on the track are numbered, Boughey's Group 1 targets extend beyond Royal Ascot as he said:
"She's got an entry in the July Cup [Newmarket]. She can race on, and she possibly could've won the Nunthorpe [York] last year with a better draw, so she's got a little bit of time left.
"I've never been so relaxed training her, she's so chilled nowadays and that sort of kink in her seems to have disappeared and I hope we'll be relaxed on that Tuesday of Royal Ascot".
Prior to joining Coolmore, Believing gave her former owners, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, many unforgettable moments as a multiple Group winner and Group 1 performer.
The heights she reached brought syndicate members to the global stage with Group race success in France and Ireland as well as trips to Hong Kong and America.
While the decision to sell this exceptional filly was undoubtedly difficult, her connections were rewarded with a fantastic result in the Tattersalls sales ring.
Reflecting on her journey, Boughey said: "A huge part of our business is to find fillies to run in black type races, it's not as easy as just doing that, but huge credit to Jake Warren and his team sourcing numerous stakes fillies for us.
"She was a good two-year-old, but she was difficult early doors in her career - she went over in the gates at Royal Ascot when we quite fancied her for the Albany.
"She was multiple black type placed at two [years] and then took off at three [years]. Highclere often give the option to extend into their four-year-old career if they're good enough.
Believing rewarded Highclere's perseverance during her four-year-old campaign with both Listed and Group 2 success. Despite those victories her trainer admitted there was unfinished business with four narrow margin defeats in Group 1 contests.
He said: "Although she was a star for us, I must admit that there was a little bit of me that felt if we hadn't won that Group 1 in Dubai, I would've almost felt that she was slightly the one that got away.
Believing was one of the standout lots of last year's Sceptre Sessions, a boutique offering of outstanding fillies and broodmares within the Tattersalls December Mares Sale, the same sale which the combination of Highclere Thoroughbred Racing and George Boughey sold their Classic winning filly Cachet in 2023 for 2.2 million guineas.
Speaking about the sale, Boughey added: "It's amazing the build-up into that sort of mares sale; it's almost like the end of season party for the owners.
"I think there were 40 or 50 shareholders and their wives, girlfriends, husbands, family, whoever it may be, they were there, and Tattersalls put on a real show.
"To sell for 3 million guineas having been bought for 115,000 guineas at the [Tattersalls Craven] breeze up was almost the pinnacle of what we try to achieve.
"Obviously it is everything to have the Group 1 winners on the track, but to be able to produce horses for that sale is what we start the year trying to achieve."
The next sale to take place at Tattersalls is the Tattersalls July Sale from 8th - 10th July. The Tattersalls December Mares Sale will take places 1st - 4th December.
