RAIN arrived in Yorkshire before the start of the Dante meeting and it continued for most of Wednesday, leaving the ground soft for the fillies in the Group 3 Tattersalls Musidora Stakes.

Victory went to John Gosden’s 4/7 favourite Shutter Speed but she faced only four rivals and was given a tender ride by Frankie Dettori, before coming home just under two lengths in front of the persistent Vintage Folly in a time nearly 12 seconds slower than standard.

Miss Infinity took them along at a steady pace but was struggling two furlongs out, where Shutter Speed went on. She was never seriously threatened afterwards, with Serenada one-paced in third and Jim Bolger’s Vociferous Marina merely keeping on steadily in fourth.

Shutter Speed had looked much more impressive on faster ground at Newbury but Dettori felt this week that a mile and a quarter is probably as far as she wants to go anyway, in which case the Prix de Diane more or less picks itself, with the stable’s Enable heading for Epsom.

Gosden had won four of the six previous runnings of the Musidora and two of his fillies, The Fugue and Star Of Seville, went on to the Investec Oaks without winning, though Star Of Seville claimed the Diane afterwards.

“The ground was very testing today, which she hated,” said Khalid Abdullah’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “But it was very pleasing and she’s done it with a bit of class. I’ve always thought a mile and a quarter seems absolutely spot on for Shutter Speed and I think in John’s mind’s eye she would probably head for the French Oaks. Enable is in good form and I hope she goes to Epsom.”

The winner has probably done well to hold Vintage Folly, who was happy enough in the ground. Indeed, it if happened to come up soft again, trainer Hugo Palmer would regard Epsom as a distinct possibility.

Aidan O’Brien’s Rhododendron remains a solid Oaks favourite, generally on 7/4, with Enable a top-priced 9/2.

TASLEET PREVAILS

Trainer William Haggas is in fine form and Tasleet, 14/1, in the Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum colours, ran out a clear-cut winner of the Group 2 Duke Of York Stakes. Brando, successful at Newmarket last time, was always going to start favourite but 5/2 was available just before the off and he dropped right out, the vet later reporting that he had bled from the nose.

A son of Showcasing, Tasleet had won a valuable sales race here at two but was returning to sprinting and wore cheekpieces for the first time.

Coming from off the pace for Jim Crowley, he found a telling burst to lead passing the furlong pole and had two and a half lengths to spare over last year’s winner Magical Memory, who was very nearly taken out by Charlie Hills. Godolphin’s Comicas, effective at Meydan, ran a pleasing race in third but several of the others were eased right down when their chance had gone. Growl, in particular, may be worth careful consideration next time.

“I was worried about the ground but have always wanted to drop Tasleet back to six furlongs,” Haggas said. “It will be Group 1s all the way for him now and we’ll try to make a stallion of him.”

The winner is 16/1 with Coral for the Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot, where he will almost certainly encounter Magical Memory once again. Hills was delighted with the latter, who was making his seasonal reappearance and quite possibly needed the outing.

Haggas is flying and favourite backers received a welcome boost when his Battered, in the colours of his father Brian, sent off at a generous 4/1, landed the Conundrum Consulting Handicap over seven furlongs, despite running this way and that in the straight.

He was finally driven clear by Ryan Moore to beat Lualiwa by over two lengths and may improve again with some form of headgear to assist him.

BEST START

West Country trainer and former NH jockey Rod Millman is having one of his best starts to a flat campaign and 12/1 shot Master Carpenter and Phillip Makin shot past their rivals in the closing stages of the 10-furlong Sky Bet Special Handicap, scoring by five lengths from Al Neksh with Oasis Fantasy, now with David Simcock, a fair third.

Master Carpenter won the John Smith’s Cup here two seasons ago and paid the price in later handicaps. Highly tried last summer, he had dropped 9lb and appreciated the step-up in trip after running over a mile this term. The John Smith’s may well be the target again.

Roger Fell’s Muntadab is a luckless sort but finally seemed about to score in the Infinity Tyres Handicap over six furlongs. Proven in soft ground, he led under Tony Hamilton but could not quite contain 25/1 chance Al Qahwa, who worried him out of it to score by a neck. Third-placed Lincoln came home best of all.

Al Qahwa, with Danny Tudhope deputising for Shelley Birkett, has not been with David O’Meara for long. He arrived from Michael Halford’s yard in Ireland and was promptly gelded but had not been seen for some time and this performance probably took connections by surprise.

Penalised youngsters are generally vulnerable in the novice race on this card but Declan Carroll’s 9/4 favourite Santry followed up his success in the Brocklesby to give Crowley a double and foster hopes of a trip to Royal Ascot, where the Norfolk Stakes is the target.

The closing mile and a half handicap went to John Butler’s Zain Arion, surprisingly priced at 20/1 after only just missing a hat-trick at Haydock. John Egan had her well clear in the straight and she looks a progressive filly.