Klassleader another smart prospect for Top 40

The three day Dante Festival at York got underway on Wednesday with AOTF ante-post selection Legacy Link (advised @ 25/1) advertising her claims for the Epsom Oaks with a narrow success in the Group 3 Musidora Stakes. A beautifully bred daughter of Dubawi, she had finished fourth in the Group 1 Fillies' Mile at Newmarket last Autumn. Despite still showing signs of inexperience and racing keenly early on, Colin Keane's mount struck the front over two out before being challenged by the previously unbeaten Felicitas. The John & Thady Gosden trained filly was forced to dig deep having been briefly headed regaining the advantage before pulling out extra close home. A three parts of a length victor, she is out of a twelve furlongs winner and her jockey believes she will improve again over an extra two furlongs. Her stable were winning the ten furlongs event for a record equalling ninth time and, while Legacy Link's victory lacked the wow factor compared to some of her former stablemates, namely The Fugue, Emily Upjohn and Soul Sister, it was still a good performance. 

The Top 40 Prospects have made an excellent start to the season and Klassleader was the latest winner with an authoritative victory in the Sky Bet Jorvik Handicap. A big rangy colt by Lope De Vega, he was well supported beforehand and, despite being held up in a slowly run event, Tom Marquand's mount made good headway in the homestraight before pulling away late on to beat another Top 40 entry Sing Us A Song. Nearly three lengths separated the pair and William Haggas' charge could be steered towards the Sky Bet Ebor in August. It is not beyond the realms of possibility, the Somerville Lodge runner will be put aside until late summer.

A little more than half an hour later, stablemate and another Top 40 entry Binhareer came within a neck of winning the valuable six furlongs handicap. The grey, who won the Coral Sprint over C&D in October, was making his seasonal reappearance off a ten pounds higher mark. Drawn in stall 9 (compared to the winner Dark Thirty who emerged from stall 4), the four year old travelled strongly but still had plenty of ground to make up approaching the final two furlongs. Staying on strongly, the combination of his draw and the fact John & Sean Quinn's winner had a fitness advantage proved the difference. The Wokingham Handicap at Royal Ascot is likely to be next for the runner-up and, provided the ground isn't too quick, he ought to go close.