Mill edges dramatic Duke of York

Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Mill Stream (4/1 joint-favourite) edged a tight photo with Shoulvebeenaring to land a dramatic renewal of the Group 2 1895 Duke Of York Clipper Stakes.

Tiber Flow fell to the ground having been impeded by Shouldvebeenaring inside the final two furlongs, with both the horse and jockey, Tom Marquand, thankfully getting to their feet unscathed.

Meanwhile, a four-way dash to the line saw Mill Stream prevail by a nose from Shouldvebeenaring, with a pair of necks separating Diligent Harry and Washington Heights in third and fourth.

Mill Stream is now is 8/1 favourite from 14/1 for the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and Chapple-Hyam would be eager to tackle that race, if owner Peter Harris agrees.

She said: “He’s a tough, brave horse and he’s come on a lot since (finishing second in) the Abernant but he’s only just won.

“I think he’s pretty versatile, he goes on any ground. It was soft when he won in France last year twice but quick in the Abernant.

“I’d like to go to Ascot on the Saturday (Jubilee) but I’ll see what Mr Harris wants to do.

“Mr Harris has landed me with some nice horses and I’m in a lucky position, I’ve got 18 for him so it’s nice to win a big race for him and we’ve got Rolica, the filly, to look forward to and some colts coming through.

“I think he’s good enough to run in the Jubilee, I’d like to see the splits as it’s on the slow side of good today but he’s against older horses.

“Mr Harris is very easy to deal with, he comes up every Saturday morning. He was out of the game for 15 years but now he’s in big. His daughter Alison has her horses with Mr (James) Fanshawe.”

Buick was more than satisfied with the winner’s performance and said: “I got carried left a little bit but he really put his head out and I was delighted he got the verdict.

“He’s been knocking on the door a few times, hopefully this is his year as three-year-olds can struggle when sprinting, he could have a big year ahead of him.”

Tim Palin, racing manager for Shouldvebeenaring’s owners Middleham Park Racing, was relieved to see the grey bounce back from a disappointing run when favourite for the Abernant Stakes at Newmarket.

He said: “Mill Stream was a worthy winner on the day, it was obviously close in the photo, and we’re just delighted with how our ran because we couldn’t really explain what happened last time – maybe there was a slightly bounce factor going into the Abernant from the Lady Wulfruna (at Wolverhampton).

“We’ve got our horse back, a horse who was running well in Group Ones at the backend of last year in the Haydock Sprint Cup and the Prix da la Foret, and we’ll continue to ply our trade in Group Ones and Group Twos.

“He’s in a Group Three over seven furlongs at ParisLongchamp a week on Sunday and he’s also in the Group Two Greenlands Stakes at the Curragh a week on Saturday, so he could go into one of those.

“He’s in both sprint races at Royal Ascot and probably him playing at home is the Prix Maurice de Gheest and the Haydock Sprint Cup, so I would say those would be his two Derbys, if you can use that term for a sprinter.”

Diligent Harry’s trainer, Clive Cox, could look to Royal Ascot with his runner, though a drop back from six furlongs is likely.

He said: “I’m very proud, it was a big run. I thought we’d done our fighting there and then the first and second came at us very late in the day.

“I’m very pleased he’s in a good place and Richard (Kingscote) gave him a super ride, I couldn’t be more happy bar winning.

“He’s in the shorter race at Royal Ascot (King Charles III Stakes) as I think a stiff five furlongs is more in our favour at the track than stretching him out over a stiff six.”

Andrew Balding’s Secret Satire ran out a surprise 22/1 winner of the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes under Oisin Murphy.

Well positioned as the race developed on the far side of the track, she responded well to pressure to beat 16/1 chance Francophone by two lengths.

The well backed 8/11 chance Friendly Soul ran no sort of race, running keen in the rear before throwing her head about and hanging in the straight, trailing home last of the seven runners.

Classical Song ran an eye-catching race staying on for third and she’s 25/1 for the Oaks with Sky Bet, who quote the winner at 12/1 from 66s.

His wife Anna-Lisa said: “Andrew was very hopeful that she’d come on from her last run, which was encouraging, and she looked well today.

“He said to me before I left this morning ‘come back with a winner, it’ll be tough, but this filly will finish in the first three’.

“Oisin was confident actually when we legged him up and he’s come back in and been very complimentary, so we’ll see how she is but I think the last Friday in May (Oaks) could be an option.

“They didn’t go very quick early and she was over-racing a little bit for the first half a mile, but she’s a gorgeous filly who really covers the ground.

“I’m so delighted for Guy Brook (owner/breeder), it’s his first Group winner, he’s a big supporter and I’m absolutely thrilled.

“It’s 21 years since we won the Oaks (with Casual Look) and it’s just lovely to have runners in those big races. It’s the time of year when all the geese are swans and all the smiles on the mornings can turn the wrong way round, but that one will really put a smile on Andrew’s face.”

Murphy added: “She wasn’t that silly early, we were just going very slow and I couldn’t get cover because the leaders stayed off the rail.

“It wasn’t a true test of stamina, so we don’t really know whether she’s going to stay at Epsom, but on that performance she didn’t do a lot in front and she deserves maybe to go there if Andrew decides.”

Reaction from beaten connections

Francophone was sent off a 16/1 chance after winning at Southwell on her reappearance, with trainer Charlie Johnston admitting slight disappointment in defeat.

He said: “I always thought she’d be a filly comfortable in Pattern company, that’s why she went to the May Hill last year and Southwell sort of served its purpose as a starting point for the year.

“It looked a strange race to me, slowly run. Two and a half out I thought we’d won so it’s one of those, if you’d offered me this beforehand I’d have bitten your hand off but watching it live, two out I thought we were going to win as the favourite had pulled its chance away and the stars seemed to be aligning.

“She’s run well and showed she’s at home in this sort of company but the way she travelled there, I’m not sure she wants a mile and a half yet.

“She’s in the Ribblesdale but I’d be inclined to maybe stay at this trip (10 furlongs) for the foreseeable.

“Obviously for this owner (Kirsten Rausing) and this family, with black type secured, that is the first tick in the box.”

Ralph Beckett saddled the third, Classical Song, and fourth La Pasionaria.

He said: “I thought it was a good effort from both our fillies.

“We’ll see how they come out of it, Classical Song might wait for the Ribblesdale, I think she’ll get a mile and a half looking at that.

“The other filly, I’ll work it out, we’ve others to think about but I was really pleased with her.

“Both our trial winners (Forest Fairy and You Got To Me) will go for the Oaks and I’ll work out what we do with these two, something else.”

Delight for favourite-backers

Punters got off to the perfect start on day one of the Dante Festival as Crystal Delight ran out a ready winner of the Sky Bet Race To The Ebor Jorvik Handicap.

Sent straight to the front by jockey Jim Crowley, the Harry Eustace-trained 18/5 favourite galloped on relentlessly in a race in which few few ever got genuinely competitive.

The recent Epsom winner was defying a 9lb rise in the ratings and had four and three-quarter lengths in hand over runner-up Kihavah (13/2), who had sat handily in third for much of the 12-furlong journey. Chillingham ran on well on the far side from a mid-pack position to finish third at 6/1, a length and three-quarters behind the second.

Crowley said on ITV Racing: “That was great, he did it nicely out in front and really went through the gears. He used to be a bit ignorant – shall we say – but he’s got a very high cruising speed and just gallops.

“The handicapper hammered him nine (pounds) for his last win and he’s going to get it again. But he’s a big, strong horse and he’s maturing now. Harry’s done a great job and it’s a good performance today.”

The winner gains an automatic berth for the Sky Bet Ebor in August and is a 20/1 shot for the big race with the sponsors.

Eustace said: “If you’d envisaged a way for the race to be run that was it and I thought the draw (stall 10) was a help as it gives you the space and the time to go where you want. Once he got the lead, he just got into a lovely rhythm and he’s all about rhythm, this horse.

“At the start of the year I thought a mile and six would be within his remit and the Ebor is certainly on the radar. It’ll be hard, but I’d love to give it a try and I think it’ll be the plan.

“I don’t know (about Royal Ascot), ridden that way is how he really enjoys it and I’m not sure Ascot would suit. We’ll work back from the Ebor probably, rather than Ascot.

“William kindly gave us the nod, he told us all about the horse and that’s helped in his training and we bear the fruits of it today, I suppose.”

Dancer delivers for Ryan and Callan

Aleezdancer came fast and late to win the Churchill Tyres Handicap, a race marred by the Mick Appleby-trained Hispanic breaking down injured (and badly hampering Summerghand in the process) before the halfway stage.

The six-time course winner Dakota Gold was never far off the early pace and he had a clear lead heading towards the final furlong, but Aleezdancer and jockey Neil Callan looked to be full of running in behind horses and immediately quickened up to mount a challenge when the gap appeared towards the far-side rail.

It was deep into the final furlong when the 14/1 chance really hit top stride and he ultimately powered home in the reapplied blinkers to beat veteran Dakota Gold (25/1) by a length and a half.

Great Ambassador was third at 11/1, with Woven back in fourth at 17/2. Abate, Mr Wagyu and Intervention finished fifth, sixth and seventh respectively.

Callan said: “I very nearly won a Stewards’ Cup on him last year. Kevin was contemplating not running him when he saw ‘good to firm’ in the going description but I’m glad he did run and when the heavens open he’s a different horse.

“The blinkers back on has sparked him back and he was starting off on a good mark. York in May is great, proper prize money and proper racing.”

Rossa Ryan, rider of the sadly ill-fated Hispanic, emerged from the incident unscathed.

Rest of day one at York

Diligent Resdev lunged late to claim a last-gasp victory in the Conundrum HR Consulting Handicap.

Ziggy’s Condor looked home for all money after taking a couple of lengths out of the field, but he was unable to resist the late charge of Mick and David Easterby’s 40/1 shot Diligent Resdev, with a short head separating the pair where it mattered.

Winning rider Joanna Mason said: “It means a lot to get a winner at the first meeting of the year at York for my granddad and uncle at our local track.

“Things are going really well for me at the minute but I couldn’t tell you why! It’s the horses that are in good form, I’m just doing the steering. I’m just thankful to everyone.

“I didn’t think I was going to get there to be honest, I thought they’d gone quick but he tried his heart out and got up on the line. He’s so straightforward and chilled out for his third run.”

There was a racecourse whisper before the British Stallion Studs EBF Novice Stakes that Richard Fahey’s Shadow Army was above average and it proved spot on – but only narrowly.

The 9/2 joint-favourite hit the front inside the final furlong and looked to have it sewn up only for Francisco’s Piece to throw down a strong challenge that only failed by a short head.

Fahey said: “He’s a pretty smart horse. I know he made hard work of it but I always find the better ones get beat!

“He’ll improve a tonne. Put it this way, if he’d have fallen out of the back of the TV, we’d have been in trouble.

“He’s a gent of a horse, he does everything easily and we haven’t really got to him yet. I’m definitely thinking of Ascot but I’d love to get another run into him.

“I wouldn’t be afraid to go six furlongs but I was quite happy to run him over five as well.”

Dancing In Paris (9/2 favourite) was a cosy winner of the concluding Stuey Weston & Friends Getting Out Handicap.

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