Dar Re Mi set York target

DAR RE MI takes to the stage for the first time this season in a small field for the totepool Middleton Stakes at York.

John Gosden decided to send Lord Lloyd-Webber’s filly to France for many of her runs last year and she won a Group Two and finished second to the great Zarkava in the Prix Vermeille.

The four-year-old also occupied the same position behind Lush Lashes in the Yorkshire Oaks. Despite being a valuable broodmare already, she is out to capitalise on the decent prizes on offer to older fillies and mares – although connections are just using this as a starting point.

“She seems to be fine and everything has gone according to plan,” said Lloyd-Webber’s racing manager, Simon Marsh.

“She has won on good to firm, and won on good to soft, so she just wouldn’t want extremes. Hopefully she will have a good season but we’ll see what happens – we will just get this out of the way first.”

Leading the opposing quartet is Sir Michael Stoute’s Crystal Capella, who won her final five starts of 2008, including the Group Two Pride Stakes at Newmarket. Changing Skies, in the Sangster colours and trained by Brian Meehan, was another to compete across the Channel and very nearly won a Group Three at Deauville. Princess Taylor and Rio Guru, appear to have an uphill task.