HAYDOCK staged a good card on Saturday, even with the Derby only seven days away. One of the highlights was the Group 2 188Bet Sandy Lane Stakes over six furlongs and it was won impressively by Karl Burke’s 7/1 chance Quiet Reflection, who pulled nearly four lengths clear of Donjuan Triumphant with warm favourite Gifted Master only third.

Gifted Master had won his last five and tried to make all here. However, the ground had probably dried out more then he needed and he also stays beyond sprint distances.

He was still in front running to the furlong pole but Buratino took him on and went for home, only for Quiet Reflection and Dougie Costello to come with an irresistible challenge. By the time Richard Fahey’s Donjuan Triumphant (some hefty bets recorded in the ring) arrived on the scene, it was all over as Quiet Reflection stretched clear.

The winner, a bay filly by Showcasing, had won a Group 3 in France on her reappearance after victories at that level and in a listed event as a juvenile.

She is clearly very smart indeed and there is every reason to go for the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot.

“She’s got a fantastic turn of foot and a high cruising speed,” Burke said. “Six furlongs is obviously no problem and at Ascot we may as well keep her to her own age group, which means the Commonwealth Cup. If it came up soft, we could go for the King’s Stand.”

Donjuan Triumphant was conceding 6lb. The fact that he attracted so much money beforehand (there were two bets to take out £15,000 and £18,750), together with the booking of Ryan Moore, suggests that connections consider him very useful indeed and he may well come on again for this highly satisfactory reappearance.

Plans are flexible for him but fourth-placed Buratino, who did not get home in the 2000 Guineas, will probably take on the winner again in the Commonwealth Cup. Coral were going only 5/2 about Quiet Reflection – quite a compliment with American challenger Acapulco all set to line up – but there was plenty of 5/1 available elsewhere.