Rockfel Stakes: Zanthos bounces back

The last time the pair met, the latter was a ready three-and-a-quarter lengths victor over her rival but it was clear from some way out on Friday that she was going to struggle to confirm that superiority.

Oisin Murphy took the 15/2 winner to the stands’ rail and was clear of the field at the halfway stage. William Buick did bring the 11/10 market leader across to try and follow her but having made inroads into the lead before the Dip, she was soon beaten upon meeting it.

Owen Burrows’ charge weakened into fifth leaving The Prettiest Star (12/1) to throw down the determined challenge but it was repelled by half-a-length.

Paddy Power and Sky Bet cut the winner 16/1 from 40s for the Betfred 1000 Guineas and introduced the runner-up at 20/1.

Ed Crisford said: “We said to Oisin today to let her be happy and to use her stride and he did. I thought she was maybe doing a bit too much in the early part, but she actually travelled so well into it and coming up the hill she did it well. I was a bit nervous in the last half-a-furlong, but she stuck on well. She is a classy filly.

“Oisin came in that day (at Leicester) and we tried something different, but he didn’t realise the pace was going to be that slow. It was literally a two furlong sprint. Whether it suited the winner that day, or not, I’m not sure, but the point is we just put her in behind and she was doing too much and throwing her head about. Oisin said forget it and put a line through it and move on as she is still a classy filly.

“We were confident we were going to run well, but maybe not beat the winner from Leicester, but the way she did it there she is a very talented filly and she has got a lot of ability and she can now hopefully turn into a proper filly. We always felt she would definitely stay a mile, but today it looked like maybe she was just tying up coming up the hill. She is not short of speed, but I think she is more a mile rather than going another way.”

Reaction from the placed horses

Ed Walker said of the runner-up: "That was massive and I’m really proud of her. She got plenty wrong as she was keen enough and a bit buzzy going to post. There is certainly stuff we can work on and improve on next year. She is a big girl and she will do well from two to three. To run to that level on her second start was huge. She is a very exciting filly for next year.

“That is her done for the year. Ground is important to her as it has to be good, or faster. We thought we wouldn’t get the ground again once it started raining so we were lucky we got the ground again. As long as her brain doesn’t let her down I think she will stay a mile. She is not slow and they weren’t going quick enough for her today. We will give her plenty of time and switch her off at home and start her off in a Guineas trial and see how we go.”

Third home was Moon Target and her trainer Sir Mark Prescott said: “That was a better effort. I don’t know what happened at Doncaster it was just one of those things, but today she ran as if she would be better at a mile, whereas at Doncaster it looked like she didn’t want a mile at all. I’m not quite sure what has happened in 15 days, but she is within shouting distance of the good ones so we will see.

“As she had disappointed at Doncaster we tried all sorts of different things in our minds. Mr (Chris) Richardson and the backman came and looked at her. We put cheekpieces on her and rode her a bit differently. It is no good standing around doing the same thing when you have had a disaster. I suppose it all adds up and that was a lot better.

“I think she wants fast ground and I think that would be it. If she ran again it would only be here. We can look at a 1000 Guineas, but that is if they train on. She is straightforward, which is a good thing.”

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