Silent Love speaks loudest in Princess Royal Stakes success

Charlie Appleby’s apparent second-string Silent Love claimed a front-running victory in the Princess Royal Stakes at Newmarket.

The Dubawi filly arrived on a hat-trick and having won at Listed level last time out was well worth a shot at this Group Three, but stable jockey William Buick instead sided with stablemate Spirited Style, who was the 13-8 favourite to get back on track after failing to fire in the German Oaks.

But while the market leader was dropped out in the rear and never really looked like landing a telling blow, Silent Love (4-1) and Billy Loughnane kept finding on the front end and clung on by a neck from Karmology.

Appleby said: “I’m pleased with that, it was obviously a great front-running ride by Billy and she’s a filly that stays and stays well.

“We purposely popped her out in front and let her get into a rhythm as we knew she’d stay, whether she’d be good enough we didn’t know, but she kept galloping and I can’t really fault her.

“Spirited Style had run in the German Oaks and was disappointing, but we put a line through that as she didn’t handle the track at all and on home evidence she’s probably got a bit more dash than Silent Love, which is why William was on her.

“I’d say they went a nice gallop without going end to end, which probably suited the filly in front and might not have suited the filly that was dropped out.

“At this time of year everyone is talking about what’s going to be retired, but I’d say this filly might be worth keeping in training and working back from the mile and six (furlong) races next year.”

A dream run up the stands rail enabled Francophone to claim top honours in the BoyleSports British EBF Rosemary Stakes.

The bigger price of two runners for trainer Charlie Johnston in the Listed opener on day two of the Cambridgeshire meeting, the Kirsten Rausing-owned filly had been largely disappointing this season, but showed her true worth with a strong finishing effort in the hands of Joe Fanning.

The imposing daughter of Study Of Man got up to beat Hey Boo by three-quarters of a length, with Johnston’s other runner Arisaig in third and 5-2 favourite Elwateen back in fourth, having not enjoyed much luck in running.

Of the 9-1 winner, Johnston said: “She’s a talented filly and based on her Listed win at Goodwood last year I would have hoped that this year she’d be competing above this level really.

“The wheels came off a bit in the middle part of this season. She did have tough trip round in the Pipalong Stakes at Pontefract last time when she was stuck wide and to be honest a week ago I was all for dropping her back into a handicap, but the ground was bottomless at Ayr and we decided against it.

“Joe came in last Friday and had a sit on her and I just thought this filly was back to her best, so I thought let’s not muck around in a handicap and get back in some black type races.”