It got underway on Wednesday with the G2 Clipper and G3 Musidora Stakes.
The Clipper was over 1200m and a titght finish revealed Jane Chapple-Hyam's Mill Stream under William Buick as the 4/1 joint-favourite winner. A nose away in second was Shouldavebeenaring on 12/1 and a neck away Dilligent Harry got the third.
The Musidora was over 2100m for the 3yo fillies with a field of 7. Secret Satire emerged the winner on 22/1 for Andrew Balding and Oisin Murphy by finishing two lengths in front of Francophone 16/1. How much this result with such a small field will influence the Oaks market remains to be seen.
Thursday's features are the Middleton G2 and the Dante G2, the latter seen as a Derby trial. The Middleton is for 4yo fillies and mares over 2100m and has 6 runners. Current favourite is Free Wind for the Gosdens and Shoemark but we prefer the Godolphin Appleby-Buick entrant Sapphire Seas on 4/1. Also in the mix is Bluestocking on 9/4.
The "Good" going may pose a question for Godolphin's Ancient Wisdom as he won his last two outings on heavy and soft ground last October so this will be the Dubawi colt's first outing for this year and he is also going up in trip but Charlie Appleby should have him well-prepared for this but what will the pace be like in the 7-horse rqce? He's on 11/8 and next best is Caviar Heights on 4/1 for Karl Burke and Cliff Lee with the son of Sea The Stars having won over a similar trip at Newmarket already this year.
