ASCOT

MARK Johnston fielded a strong team in the opening Group 3 Princess Margaret Juddmonte Stakes and, for much of the six-furlong journey, it looked as if he would end up with an impressive one-two.

However, as 2/1 favourite Nyaleti mastered stable-companion Rebel Assault, Dance Diva and Musical Art moved through to claim the minor places without troubling the winner, who had four lengths to spare.

Nyaleti, a daughter of Arch, was entitled to win this on her second to Aidan O’Brien-trained fillies September in the Chesham Stakes and Clemmie in the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes. She paid both quite a compliment, surging clear for Ryan Moore in the closing stages to score with complete authority.

“Ryan, who was on the fillies that beat her, thought this must be an improved performance and I think so, too,” Johnston commented. “Rebel Assault led them at a fair old pace but it was the way Nyaleti could coast at that speed and still go on. Ryan did say he’d rather ride her over a mile than six furlongs again and with any group-winning two-year-old you’d be thinking about the Guineas.”

WALSH HELPS BURKE

Many punters take the hint when Katie Walsh makes the trip across the Irish Sea to ride in a race for lady amateurs and Karl Burke’s Georgian Bay was a winning 5/1 favourite for the seven-furlong Longines Handicap.

Making her move towards the far side, she hit the front with a furlong to go and kept Georgian Bay going to hold Bertiewhittle by a neck with Tommy G right behind. Dropping back a furlong helped the winner and he received maximum assistance from the saddle.

Burke had already won the newly-titled Wooldridge Group Pat Eddery Stakes, a listed event, with Raydiance, a daughter of top sprinter Mayson. Jim Crowley timed his challenge to perfection and the winner just had the better of the rallying Another Batt by a neck, with Alba Power third.

Raydiance is owned by members of the Ontoawinner syndicate, who also have last year’s Commonwealth Cup winner Quiet Reflection with Burke. Both are happy with plenty of give in the ground and the trainer is far from confident that Saturday’s form will be replicated on the firm. However, the Mill Reef Stakes at Newbury is a possible target, given plenty of rain.

BUICK ALSO IN DOUBLE FORM

There have been several occasions this season when William Buick has impressed as a world-class jockey and he rode another superb race to put Godolphin’s D’bai in front close home in the Porsche Handicap over a mile.

There is no substitute for classic form and, although only tenth in the Prix du Jockey-Club, D’bai was not disgraced and found this much easier.

Slightly checked twice, Buick calmly sent him on in the dying strides, just when Dettori seemed to have done enough on Pealer.

Buick completed his double on 2/1 favourite Royal Associate, another for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin, in the closing mile and a half handicap.

Most punters were far happier with that than the result of the valuable Gigaset International Handicap, where Richard Fahey’s Stamp Hill and Paul Hanagan left all of this season’s form a country mile behind and beat Mjjack at a starting price of 50/1.

Fahey also had the third, Withernsea, at 22/1, while stable-companion The Feathered Nest went in at Newmarket at 14/1 to add to a double at Chester.

Thus it was a fairly typical Saturday haul for the yard, even if the trainer agreed with everyone else that Stamp Hill was completely unfindable.