Beckett gears up for York

Ralph Beckett has a big date at York next week with his Oaks heroine Look Here and he warmed up for the Knavesmire as Outofoil claimed the second division of the EBF/Carmen Wines Maiden Stakes at Salisbury.

Ryan Moore found a gap against the rail at the perfect moment on the 7-4 favourite and the combination kept on to score, all out, by a head from Frank Street.

Beckett said: “This fellow was bought to be a fun horse and that’s what he is. He’s a 75-80 horse, who’ll make up into a nice handicapper.”

Of Look Here, the Whitsbury trainer added: “She’ll do her final gallop on Friday and is ready for it (Yorkshire Oaks). If she doesn’t have a hard race it’s still possible she could go for the St Leger.”

Lady Deauville gave Paul Blockley his most important success of the season when displaying an affinity for the soft ground to land the EBF Upavon Fillies’ Stakes.

Twice a winner at Listed level as a two-year-old, the grey travelled best throughout for Franny Norton and, when asked to set her seal on the contest, asserted to score by a length and a head from Sweet Lilly and Cape Amber.

Blockley is keen to strike while underfoot conditions favour his charge and the trainer said: “If she comes out of it well she’ll go again at Bath on Sunday. There’s a fillies’ Listed race there and if there’s any cut in the ground she must have a great chance.

“She has plenty of toe for the drop back to a mile.”

Blockley often takes his 4-1 winner to France and added: “She gets prize-money bonuses there and you always get the cut in the ground. I’m just delighted that she’s got her head in front again. She’s a hardy old thing.”

Stalking Shadow added to Godolphin’s fine record at this track when overcoming unsuitable ground in the Goldring Security Services Pembroke Cup.

Frankie Dettori’s mount took an ominous walk in the market to start 15-8, but after covering the early move of Ben Ami she stayed on too well for Acrostic, scoring by a neck.

Richard Hannon saddled a 46th individual two-year-old winner of the year when Princess Hannah edged-out Cavera by half a length in division one of the six-furlong maiden.

Richard Hughes always had his filly in the right place at the right time, whereas the promising third, Zero Money, was a bit short of room when mounting his effort.

River Captain relished the easy conditions when landing the James & Sons Nursery for trainer Sylvester Kirk and jockey Richard Kingscote.

The son of Captain Rio left previous runnings behind to score by two and a quarter lengths from River Dee, but the 10-1 win was not a surprise to his trainer.

Kirk, who was asked to explain the improvement to the stewards, said: “Like all Captain Rio’s he just loves the soft ground. I’d fancied him at Windsor but it was on the fast side and he hated that.”