Top 40 Prospects winner Mistral Star (5/1)

Top 40 entry Mistral Star (5/1) gained her first win at Pattern level when running away with the Listed Aphrodite Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday evening. Hughie Morrison's four year old had endured a luckless run when finishing third in the Group 3 Lester Piggott Fillies' Stakes at Haydock last month. The form of that contest had worked out well with the winner Queen of The Pride following up in the Group 2 Lancashire Oaks Stakes over the same C&D. Mistral Star is at her best over twelve furlongs on decent ground and she encountered her optimum conditions on the July course. Held up early on by Rhys Clutterbuck, she made her move with half a mile to run and once taking over never looked in any danger. A three and a half lengths winner, she holds an entry in the Group 1 Yorkshire Oaks next month.

The other Top 40 runner, Elizabeth Jane (28/1), ran a terrific race in the Irish Oaks finishing fourth. A beautifully bred daughter of Dubawi, she had reportedly needed the run when only filling seventh position on her reappearance at Naas in a Listed contest. However, Dermot Weld's filly was a different proposition at the Curragh coming from nearly last to take minor honours. Making on ground in the homestraight, Chris Hayes' mount was beaten less than four lengths. It was a most encouraging performance and she ought to be hard to beat next time. From a family who progress with age, she looked tailormade for something like the Listed Galtres Stakes at York's Ebor Festival (22nd August). The head of Rosewell has won the twelve furlongs contest twice (Pale Mimosa (2012) & Search For A Song (2019)).

Finally, congratulations to Value Racing Club who pocketed £18,548 following the victory of Sea The Clouds in the staying handicap hurdle at Cartmel on Saturday. Purchased for €5,500 as a store, the seven year old was gaining his fifth career win and has earned nearly £50,000 in prize-money during his short career. The Born To Sea gelding showed an excellent attitude at the Cumbrian track under an exhuberant William Featherstone.