Royal Ascot-bound Skiffle seals four-timer for Buick
The daughter of Dubawi shadowed The Black Princess in the Veolia Height Of Fashion Stakes and readily took that one’s measure inside the final furlong to open her account going way by a length.
The Height Of Fashion is normally regarded as a trial for the Investec Oaks, but following her clear-cut triumph connections were quick to rule out an Epsom bid for the Godolphin-owned filly.
Trainer Charlie Appleby said of the 5-1 winner: “We’ve always liked her and she’s a filly that was going to appreciate a bit of time.
“She lengthened well, and has a nice future, and the Ribblesdale Stakes makes sense timing-wise.
“Remember she only ran in a maiden a fortnight ago and we feel after speaking to Will that a step up to a mile and a half should eke out some further improvement.”
Yalta could hardly have provided a more exciting start to the May Festival when scorching home on his debut for Mark Johnston and Buick in the NJS Group EBF Novice Stakes.
The dogs had barked his name around the bookmaking offices through the morning, and although easy to back on course, he proved much too good for odds-on Afandem.
Buick ensured the 5-2 shot was swiftly out of the gate and able to bag the stands rail, and the combination made the rest to come home two lengths clear of Repton, with Afandem nosed out of second spot.
Johnston had no hesitation in naming the Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot as the big target for the son of Exceed And Excel, for which he was handed a 14-1 quote by Paddy Power.
“He’s one of our better ones and we’ve known that right from the beginning,” Johnson said.
“But he had a small setback and we decided not to run him in his intended introduction.
“He’s certainly a candidate for Royal Ascot, where the Coventry would be the most likely race.
“We could run him again beforehand.”
Johnston and Buick completed a double when Bathos benefited from an enterprising ride to take the Wright Joinery Company Handicap.
Johnston said: “It was a good move by William to take it up early and grab the initiative.”
A stoney silence greeted 16-1 chance Albahar when he came home unchallenged in the Construction Day Handicap, making a mockery of his welter burden of 9st 10lb and providing Buick with the second leg of his four-timer.
The Chris Gordon-trained grey powered four and a half lengths clear of Rayvin Black with 2-1 favourite Wolf Of Windlesham back in third.
