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Hot favourite Inisherin could finish only fifth as Mill Stream emerged triumphant in the My Pension Expert July Cup at Newmarket.
Following a stunning display in the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot last month, the Kevin Ryan-trained Inisherin was all the rage to beat his elders for the first time as the 11/8 market leader, but things did not go to script.
Art Power took the 11-strong field along for much of the six-furlong contest, closely pursued by Swingalong, and the latter had poked her head in front by the time she reached the final furlong.
In a race that turned into something of a scrap, Jane Chapple-Hyam’s 11/1 shot Mill Stream – third in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at the royal meeting – was produced with a well-timed challenge on the far side of the track by William Buick, swooping late to deny Swingalong by a neck.
Vandeek, who suffered a surprise defeat at the hands of Inisherin in the Sandy Lane Stakes at Haydock in May before missing the rematch in the Commonwealth Cup owing to an unsatisfactory scope, shaped with plenty of encouragement in third.
Art Power boxed on to finish fourth ahead of the slightly disappointing Inisherin in fifth.
Buick was completing a four-timer on the day after he previously enjoyed a treble for Godolphin and Charlie Appleby courtesy of Desert Flower, First Conquest and Ancient Truth.
Ancient Truth stays on well for Superlative strike
Ancient Truth enhanced his growing reputation by providing trainer Charlie Appleby with a fifth victory in the bet365 Superlative Stakes.
Since breaking his duck with Boynton in 2016, the Moulton Paddocks handler has saddled a trio of subsequent Group One winners to land this Group Two prize in Quorto (2018), Master Of The Seas (2020) and Native Trail (2021).
Ancient Truth marched to victory in the Godolphin blue
A son of Dubawi, who also won the Superlative in 2004, Ancient Truth had looked a smart prospect in winning his first two starts on the two different Newmarket tracks and was a 4/6 favourite to complete his hat-trick in the hands of Buick.
After initially being settled in fifth of the six runners, the youngster made his move racing inside the final couple of furlongs and was soon in front without being asked for maximum effort.
Buick resorted to his whip to make sure of victory late on, with Seagulls Eleven running a fine race to emerge best of the rest, but Ancient Truth was well on top as he passed the post with a length and a half in hand.
Coral cut Ancient Truth’s odds for next year’s 2000 Guineas to 16/1 from 25/1.
Desert Flower blooms with impressive Newmarket debut
Desert Flower earned quotes for the 1000 Guineas with a stylish debut performance in the Rossdales British EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.
Trainer Appleby was winning the seven-furlong maiden for the fifth time in eight years, this time with a daughter of Night Of Thunder.
The money came late for Ollie Sangster’s Flight, ridden by Ryan Moore – and they made a bold bid for home.
Desert Flower was much the best at Newmarket
But Buick was able to move stylishly into contention going into the dip before pulling away nicely to win by three and a quarter lengths at 5/2.
Betfair and Paddy Power introduced her into the 1000 Guineas betting at 33/1.
Appleby said: “They’ve done a great job with her because we couldn’t get her in the stalls a couple of weeks ago – and when she did eventually go in, she didn’t want to come out!
“She’s a filly that has obviously got natural ability but is still very raw. William said he was surprised she was able to win today. He sat on her the other day and said he liked her and she was ready to run, but he was surprised how she came into the race.
“I don’t want to say anything too bold but she’ll appreciate stepping up to a mile, she appreciated the conditions and we might work back from something like the May Hill, but there’s water to go under the bridge before then.
“It was a nice performance and there will be marked improvement because she’s been so raw at home. It was nice to see her pick up when she met the rising ground and go away, there’s a lot of potential there.”
Asian Daze (9/1) signed off her career in Europe in the best possible fashion when carrying top weight to victory in the Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa Fillies’ Handicap.
Formerly trained by Johnny Murtagh in Ireland, she was bought by Australian handler Gai Waterhouse at the Ascot sale and performed with credit when ninth in the Sandringham.
Sent to fellow Aussie Jane Chapple-Hyam for her swansong on these shores, she battled gamely for Billy Loughnane and held off Lou Lou’s Gift by a neck.
“I’m very pleased to be training her for Gai, I’m also one of her owners, so we go back a long way,” said Chapple-Hyam.
“I think she’ll go into quarantine now before heading to Australia. She’d been training well and we’d been sending reports to Gai every other day.”
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