Coya scores for Pizarro
Having had to miss the 1000 Guineas as the Van Nistelrooy filly took a while to come to hand this spring, the winning trio were pleasantly surprised she proved smart enough to concede 5lb all round on her first start for 223 days.
Her head victory over Musical Bar in the Michael Seely Memorial Fillies’ Stakes added a splash of international flavour to proceedings, with McEvoy from Australia and Botti Italian-born.
Yet it was Peruvian footballer Pizarro who sported the biggest smile of all after cheering home his 15-2 winner.
He said: “She is the first horse I bought here but I have a few more now. She is just a lovely filly and this is great. It’s only the second time I’ve been to the races to watch her run.
“We need to discuss where we go next but she has done well to win as she is only a little filly and had a few problems.”
Botti added: “She stayed the mile well and is very tough. She did well to concede the penalty to the others too. We’ll see where we go next but she’s in the German Guineas, the Coronation Stakes and the Prix Sandringham at Chantilly.”
Another member of the fairer sex to impress on the Knavesmire was Michael Bell’s speedball Bahamian Babe, who maintained her unbeaten record in the opening Langleys Solicitors EBF Marygate Stakes.
In seeing off Langs Lash by half a length, the 6-1 success paved the way for a crack at the Queen Mary, for which she is now 8-1 from 25s with Cashmans.
Georgina Bell, representing Michael, said: “Hopefully we can get our hats on and head to Royal Ascot now. The Super Sprint had been mentioned but Michael said if she won today we’d go to the Queen Mary and Hayley (Turner) gave her a beautiful ride.”
Luberon (6-1) made all the running under Joe Fanning to plunder the richly-endowed Reland Jorvik Stakes.
“He doesn’t want to run too often and is best fresh so I may look to Royal Ascot now,” confirmed Mark Johnston.
“He’s obviously better on grass than he is on the all-weather, which has helped him a bit I’m sure.”
Tombi (7-1) found an impressive finishing burst to score in the Sporting Index Stakes, while Hamish McGonagall, who made steady progress as a juvenile, seems to have picked up where he left off after toughing it out to secure the Axis Intermodal Stakes.
The 4-1 chance was there to be shot at throughout the final quarter-mile but stuck his neck out to gain top honours by a head. Winning trainer Tim Easterby said: “He’s a nice horse but has been a little bit weak and will still improve. He’s a very tough little horse and if he gets in the William Hill Trophy he’ll go for that.”
Full Speed, trained by Alan Swinbank, relished the step up to a mile and a half to win the concluding Phil Benest Stakes at odds of 9-2.
