ALL horses run fast past trees but there was no mistaking the quality of Ejaabiyah who cruised to victory in Salisbury's feature race yesterday (Sunday), the winning margin of nearly five lengths hardly reflecting the ease of the Frankel filly's win.
A highly impressive winner on his debut at Kempton last November, she was beaten on her seasonal debut at Newbury last month when second to Diamond Rain, but there is no disgrace in that as the winner runs in the highly competitive Ribblesdale Stakes at Ascot this week.
James Doyle set a sedate pace in the newly inaugurated 10 furlong novice stakes, quickening the tempo three out to stretch into a clear lead and allowing the rider to take a glance over his shoulder in the final furlong to confirm how far he was ahead.
Trainer Roiger Varian may now be tempted to run her in the Irish Oaks next month.
Richard Hannon, whose Irish 2,000 Guineas victor Rosallion leads his traditionally strong team at the royal meeting, enjoyed a double. He ran two in the six-furlong novice with New Charter and the quirkily named An Outlaw's Grace. The former, badly hampered in a juvenile dash at Epsom's Derby meeting, was the overnight favourite, but the pair flip flopped on the course with the unraced Dandy Man colt sent off the 15/8 favourite.
Sean Levey purposefully kept the debutant to the outside before delivering a challenge a furlong out to sweep past the pacemaking Aysgarth for a length and a quarter victory, leading connections to consider the prestigious Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh as a follow-up.
However, the owners,Middleham Park, will take their time before making a decision.
Tim Palin explained: "We'll let the dust settle and have a think. We could play it safe and go somewhere under a penalty or reach for the sky. He's always been a horse Richard has thought plenty of. It looks as though we have an exciting horse for the future."
Trainer and jockey had earlier scored when New Kings Road shrugged off his maiden status in the one-mile handicap. Levey tracked the top weight Manga Vega and asked him to go about his work a furlong out to ground out a one and a half length win.
Regular punters would have noted that Saffie Osborne was not partnering Powerdress in the seven-furlong handicap for her father Jamie, having been booked for Sir Michael Stoute's top weighted Pumalin Park, and those who took the hint, filled their wallets. The only problem facing Osborne was trying to find an opening in the closing stages, but one appeared in time and she weaved the 7/2 favourite to snatch the spoils in a triple photo finish.
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