Silent Love tastes Listed glory in Chalice Stakes

Charlie Appleby is planning a step up to Group-race level with Silent Love following her hard-fought victory in the British Stallion Studs EBF Chalice Stakes at Newmarket.

Placed on her first two starts before making it third time lucky at Kempton in June, the Dubawi filly was 7-4 favourite to claim Listed honours on the July course in the hands of Billy Loughnane.

Having raced keenly during the early stages of the mile-and-a-half contest before making her move, Silent Love had to dig deep late on, with Jane Temple a willing adversary.

There was little to choose between the pair as the post loomed, but Silent Love saw out the race best to prevail by half a length, with Karmology four and a half lengths further behind in third.

Speaking on the Godolphin website, Appleby said: “I told Billy before the race that Silent Love would stay, but not to commit her too far out if he could help it.

“He felt the ground was a bit tacky and he would have won by a couple of lengths with proper soft ground. He was quite impressed with the way she saw it out.

“We have a race in mind at Deauville, the Group Three Prix Lady O’Reilly, and this should hopefully give her a nice progression on to that.”

Loughnane went on to complete a double aboard the Ian Williams-trained Beylerbeyi (9-4) in the Turners Park Group Ltd Handicap.

Other winners on the card included 11-2 shot Inis Mor, who looked destined for bigger and better things after making an impressive start to her career in the Durcan Bloodstock Pat Smullen Memorial EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes for David Menuisier and Sean Levey.