Newmarket report: Sandrine puts down Classic marker

Sandrine looked a filly right out of the top drawer when following up her Royal Ascot victory in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.

Andrew Balding’s youngster caused something of a surprise when winning the Albany Stakes at 16-1 last month on soft ground – but she was even more impressive on this occasion on a quicker surface.

In taking her career record to three from three, Sandrine was given quotes around the 16-1 mark for next year’s 1000 Guineas – with Coral making her their 14-1 favourite.

Like at Ascot ridden by David Probert, the daughter of Bobby’s Kitten raced on the far side group, tracking Ellade on Hello You.

When the field bunched up with just over a furlong to go, Sandrine quickly shot clear and put the race to bed in a matter of strides.

Desert Dreamer made up plenty of ground from the rear to chase her home, but was beaten a length and three-quarters by the 11-5 favourite. Hello You was third, having been second to the winner at Ascot.

Balding said: "That was very good. She got a little bit lonely in front, I think, but she's got a lot of ability, which is exciting. She's so relaxed, which I hope bodes well for her chances of staying a mile next year.

"She's got physical scope - she's not a compact, two-year-old type. She's got a bit more length and depth to her, I think. Hopefully she'll make up into a nice three-year-old.

"It's good she's proved Royal Ascot wasn't a fluke. There was a little bit of nerves going into this as she'd looked so good at Ascot and it's nice to see that confirmed on different going today."

Asked about future plans for the Kirsten Rausing-owned winner, Balding said: "We've loosely discussed it. I don't really want to travel her at this stage and the only Group One options are in France and Ireland.

"I think we'll just have to sit it out, give her a little break and try to gear her up for the Cheveley Park."

Probert said: "She had to prove herself on that quick ground today, but she travelled great, she's got a great temperament and was in a great rhythm throughout the race.

"When we split away from the main pack, I was lucky enough to be able to follow the Ralph Beckett filly (Hello You) through into the race - and when the pace lifted, she's done it with such ease and found many lengths.

"She hit the rising ground really well and galloped out. It took me a while to pull her up, so it's not out of the question that she could stay further. She's very exciting. I haven't had a Group One winner in this country yet - hopefully she could be it."

Of Desert Dreamer, trainer Stuart Williams said: "I’m very pleased with her. It was slightly unfortunate that the winner was on the other side of the track.

"If we could have followed the winner through we might have given it a better race, but the winner is a high-class filly and we are improving. I’m delighted with the filly and with Oisin’s (Murphy) ride. We live to fight another day.

"She has got a good turn of foot and she is settling very well, so I’m very pleased with her."

He added: "I will probably head to the Lowther (at York) now, where the winner would have a penalty if she wanted to take us on again. I think that is probably the logical route."

Jockey James Doyle rode two winners on day one of the Moët & Chandon July Festival and continued his fine form to land the first two Friday races for a 21.75-1 double.

The second of his brace - the 11-2 chance Dubai Honour – gave trainer William Haggas plenty to smile about by winning the 10-furlong bet365 Heritage Handicap.

The three-year-old Pride Of Dubai gelding prevailed after a sustained duel with Foxes Tales in the final furlong, scoring by a head. Afterwards Haggas was keen to pay tribute to Laura Collett, who will represent Team GB in eventing at the Tokyo Olympics later this month and who has worked with the colt.

Haggas said: “I’m thrilled with that. I thought it might be a bit quick just 22 days after Ascot with that being his first race of the year but he won the Britannia on his side (of the track), so he’s clearly not a bad horse and he’s improving all the time.

“I’d like to thank Laura Collett, who’s about to represent Great Britain in the Olympics. She took this horse on for about two months in the winter because we lost him mentally.

“We sent him up there and she brought him back a different horse, so although I get all of the glory she did a lot of the work to get him back for us and I’d like to thank her publicly.

“Goodwood looks the obvious option but we’ll see as the handicapper might put him up for that.”

Trainer Andrew Balding said of his 7-2 runner-up Foxes Tales: “I’m very pleased with him. He has proved he is versatile with ground conditions. It is always tough to give weight away in these competitive handicaps but he is certainly a horse with a bright future. I think he could get further than a mile and a quarter and Goodwood could be a possibility for him.”

Earlier Noble Truth had got the ball rolling for Doyle when clearly showing the benefit of having a run under his belt when taking the opening Weatherbys Bloodstock Pro British EBF Maiden Stakes.

The two year old colt had finished third on debut over today’s distance of seven furlongs on the July Course on June 19th. The winner that day, Lusail, franked the form in no uncertain terms yesterday by landing the Group Two Tattersalls Stakes in impressive fashion.

Here the Charlie Appleby-trained son of Kingman pulled clear from the field to take the honours by two lengths under Doyle. He was returned the 5-2 favourite today and his trainer believes there will be Group races on the colt’s agenda as the season progresses.

Appleby said: “Seeing that performance (from Lusail in yesterday’s Tattersalls July Stakes) gave us more confidence coming into today not that we needed too much as we had seen plenty at home.

“His first run was a bit free there whereas James (Doyle) got him covered up there today and he travelled very strong throughout the race today. He just had to give him a quick tap to get him back and onto his business. Once he hit the rising ground he finished out well and hit the line strong.”

Appleby will now wait before mapping out the rest of Noble Truth’s season and he added: “He is a horse that we haven’t got immediate plans for as he has been headstrong at home. We are just taking it race by race to see which way he is going to go.

“I think something like the Vintage Stakes at Goodwood will come too soon for him but whether we potentially look at something like working back from something like the Champagne Stakes maybe might be a nice sort of race for him. It gives him a nice bit of time to do all the right things.

“He has the hood on at home and it is vital to him at the moment as he is still far too keen at home. Today I loved the way he walked around the paddock he was nice and professional and relaxed.

“I think we will see him over a mile before the end of the season and he could be a Vertem Futurity Trophy type horse but we will see. He is a nice scopey horse that has hopefully got a nice future as a three year old.”

Live Your Dream led home a Godolphin one-two in the £75,000 bet365 Trophy.

Appleby's Global Storm battled his way to the lead late on, but was was unable to resist the late surge of the Saeed bin Suroor-trained 7-2 favourite Live Your Dream, who came from last to first under champion jockey Oisin Murphy.

Bin Suroor said: "He has always been good. He was weak last year, but this year he has improved physically and with the trip.

"There are two races for him - maybe we'll take him to Newbury for the Geoffrey Freer, or maybe the Ebor (at York). It is between those two races.

"He'll be a nice one for the future in staying races and he can handle any ground."