8 hours ago
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Musical Times stormed to the head of the betting for next year's 1,000 Guineas with a scintillating display in the Group 2 Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.
A smooth winner of her first two starts at Newmarket and Yarmouth, the daughter of Lope De Vega travelled kindly in the hands of rider William Buick before being asked to quicken at the furlong marker.
From that point, the response was instantaneous as the 7/4 favourite shot clear of her toiling rivals to score geared down by an enormous seven-and-a-half length margin from Scommessa Sicura and go one better than her mother, Dubai Fountain, who was runner-up in the Group 2 contest.
Bookmakers William Hill reacted by slashing Godolphin's unbeaten filly to 6/1 favourite (from 25/1) for next May's Betfred 1,000 Guineas, while the Leeds-based firm installed Musical Times as 7/4 market leader for the bet365 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket on October 9.
'We'll head to the Fillies' Mile, which was always our plan since Yarmouth really,' reported a delighted Appleby who was saddling his sixth winner from nine September runners.
'She's handled that slightly slower ground today but she's a neat filly, so if it came up quick at Newmarket in the autumn or in the spring it wouldn't worry me.'
Musical Times streaks to victory in the highlight of day one of the St Leger Festival
SAM'S TOP TIPS FOR DAY TWO
2.25 – Final Objective (ew): The talented Pershaada should relish tackling her own age group after taking on the likes of the trail-blazing Bacio in a warm renewal of the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last time. However, the prospect of easy ground will demand a different skillset from the speedy filly and Final Objective could trouble the likely favourite now he drops to the minimum trip for the first time. The selection posted a clear career best in the Group 2 Gimcrack Stakes at York and a strongly-run five furlongs could see him to good effect.
4.45 – Launch Sequence: The application of the first-time cheekpieces and the return to six furlongs could see Launch Sequence power to a first career success in this competitive nursery. A promising debut over course and distance has been followed by two highly promising efforts in decent company with his creditable effort in the Convivial Maiden at York enhanced when the runner-up was placed in Group company next time out.
5.20 - Something Splendid (e/w): It is quite a while since Peter Chapple-Hyam was enjoying Classic success, but the ardent West Bromwich Albion fan has sent out a couple of winners in recent days and Something Splendid is fancied to defy a 5lb penalty for a recent Yarmouth triumph. No doubt buoyed by his beloved team's start to the new Championship season, the Newmarket handler saw the son of Postponed finish runner-up in a division of this corresponding race last year and, although he was later awarded the race when the winner was thrown out, the selection can win this year's renewal under his own volition today.
The Newmarket handler saddled Desert Flower to win the Fillies' Mile before winning the 1,000 Guineas two years ago, but was at pains to point out she was a different model to Musical Times.
'I don't see why she (Musical Times) shouldn't be a Guineas filly. We won this a couple of years ago with Desert Flower, who went on to win the Guineas.
'Funnily enough I see this filly as more of a Guineas filly than Desert Flower, who was big and scopey and unfortunately didn't quite win the Oaks.'
Waardah was another of the fairer sex to shine on Town Moor, comfortably capturing the Group 2 Betfred Park Hill Fillies' Stakes for trainer Owen Burrows and rider Callum Rodriguez.
'We haven't seen a lot of her as she does appreciate a bit of juice in the ground,' said Burrows.
'It was a good run at Carlisle against David O'Meara's Group 1 filly (Estrange) and she was only beaten a neck at Goodwood on quick ground last time, so I was hopeful today.
'She's in the fillies' race (Prix de Royallieu) in France on Arc weekend so that would be her next target and, depending on how that went, we'd have a look at the Group 1 Fillies & Mares on British Champions Day at Ascot.'
