Khulood stakes Classic claim with emphatic win
Most of the talk on the racecourse in the run-up to the race concerned Khulood and the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly, Hector's Girl.
And punters got it right as 15-8 favourite Khulood advertised her Classic claims in impressive fashion.
Richard Hills quickly got his mount to the head of the eight-runner field and she kept on galloping as her rivals were unable to throw down a serious challenge, eventually scoring by two lengths from 14-1 shot Cala.
Hector's Girl, narrowly edged out of favouritism at 2-1, was distinctly unlucky in running under Kieren Fallon and finished fast and late to grab third place.
"It was a good time and you've got to be pleased with that," said winning trainer John Dunlop.
"It is always a bit of a worry when you bring a nice filly like this back after a winter off.
"She did change her legs once quite dramatically inside the final furlong, but that is okay and it didn't seem to stop her.
"Will she stay a mile in the 1000 Guineas? I don't know, but I would have thought so."
Dunlop admitted that Khulood was not always entirely straightforward in her demeanour.
"We saddled her out the back today and she was very good," he said. "But she can just have a bit of a wobble sometimes."
Ladbrokes were the bookmakers most impressed by Khulood's performance, cutting her price to make a successful return to Headquarters next month from 16-1 to 8-1.
Coral and the Tote offer 12-1.
Clive Brittain nominated a handful of possible targets for the 14-1 runner-up.
"I am very pleased that silenced the critics!" he said.
"The plan now includes the Italian 1000 Guineas, the German 1000 Guineas, and then we will supplement her for the Irish 1000 Guineas. Then it's the Coronation Stakes before we give her a break."
But the stewards took a dim view of Frankie Dettori's ride on Cala, ruling that he had been guilty of irresponsible riding of a minor nature when he hampered Hector's Girl.
They banned Dettori for two days (April 24 and 25).
Connections of Hector's Girl indicated that their filly could still head to Newmarket for the 1000 Guineas, and she can be backed at 20-1.
The favourite with all firms is French filly Six Perfections, who was cut by Coral from 3-1 to 5-2.
David Loder opened his two-year-old account for the season when Hunting Lodge emerged as a Royal Ascot possible with a remarkable debut performance in the Interior plc Conditions Stakes at Newmarket today.
Hunting Lodge was very slowly into his stride and it looked as if his chance had already gone as Frankie Dettori was soon rousting him along, with previous winner Signor Panettiere setting a blistering gallop and soon going well clear.
He had moved into third as they raced into the Dip, but he was still a long way off the leader.
However, once they met the rising ground he lengthened his stride to lead well inside the final furlong and pass the post with a length and a quarter to spare over Fine Silver.
Loder said: "I said he would want every yard of the trip and when he missed the break I thought that was it and there would always be another day but Frankie said they went too fast and as he wants six or seven furlongs. I think it was a pretty decent performance.
