Sugar Yes Pleas lands Sweet Solera Stakes for Eve Johnson Houghton

After making a pleasing debut over six furlongs at Newbury, the daughter of Mohaather then backed up that promise when obliging at the second time of asking back at the Berkshire track with a smart success over the same course and distance last time out.

Stepped to seven furlongs for her pattern race debut, the 11/1 chance clearly appreciated the extra distance when motoring home late on under Charlie Bishop to strike gold in the Group Three feature.

Victory had appeared to be going the way of 6/4 favourite Nuit D’Eclair, who after moving smartly through the race, opened up into what looked like a race winning lead inside the final two furlongs.

However, as the lines approached the Amo Racing Limited-owned market leader was reeled back in by Sugar Yes Please, who ended up passing the post with half a length to spare.

Johnson Houghton said: “We always knew that she would appreciate the step up in trip, she just had to learn to relax through her races first.

“All she wants to do is please, which means that she ends up doing it a bit too early, but now she is relaxed and settled into her run which is great.

“It is brilliant as I trained the dam Alezan for Marc (Middleton-Heath,owner), and that is her first foal, and she is by Mohaather, who my mum bred, so I feel like it is a homebred, homebred. We are so chuffed.

“We always knew that she was nice, but to come here and do it right is great. Marc was saying we need a gap, but I said calm down, we have got another furlong. She has shown a lovely turn of foot.

“We really wanted black type, and I knew she had a nice turn of foot, but you never know what else you are taking on. We wanted black type with her as being the first foal by the dam that is very important.

“We have won her Group race, but she is going to improve as she is still very weak. We will probably give her one more run than see.”

Eabha makes it a double for Eve

There was further success on the card for Johnson Houghton and Bishop after the pair teamed up together with Eabha in the William Hill Epic Boost Nursery Handicap.

After getting off the mark last time out at Epsom Downs, the daughter of Space Blues added to that success when rallying well late on in the seven furlong test.

Moving clear late on with 6/5 favourite Mysterious Times, the 15/2 chance got the better of a final furlong battle with the market leader by a length.

Johnson Houghton said: “I said to Charlie do the same again (as the first winner). He had the joy of driving me up here today, and he has the joy of driving me home which will be a nice drive.

“We discussed it on the way up, and we knew they pretty much had to be ridden the same way. She was heavily in season when she was beaten at Chepstow, and we did report, so that might have had an effect, but the form of that race has worked out really well.

“They are horses, and they are allowed to have an off day, and she wasn’t at her one hundred percent best that day, but since then she has improved and improved.

“Epsom is a great education, and I love it, but Chepstow is a great education and I love that. She came here today, hit the dip, and knew what it was all about.

And while Johnson Houghton hopes that in time Eabha can pick up some black type she admits that a return trip to the July Course could be on the agenda first.

She added: “There is a seven furlong fillies’ handicap back here next Saturday so we might have a look at that, but it might be too quick.

“We will maybe try and nick a bit of black type before the end of the season as she is leased off Kildaragh Stud, and getting black type for the mare is important.”

Rest of the card

For the second year running Simon and Ed Crisford appeared to unleash another promising type in the Tattersalls £40,000 EBF Newcomers’ “Confined” Maiden Fillies’ Stakes after Lex Victoria justified her hefty price tag to make a winning debut.

Purchased for 1,100,000 euros at the Arqana May Breeze Up sale, the daughter of Sioux Nation followed in the hoofprints of subsequent Group Two winner Zanthos in opening her account in the seven furlong contest.

Racing prominently throughout, the 4/1 chance, who is owned in partnership by Victorious Forever & Duaij Al Khalifa, showed the best of her battling abilities late on under David Probert to master Thi Qar by a neck.

Chris Wall, racing manager to Victorious Forever, said: “Zanthos was the top lot from Arqana last year and this was the top lot from Arqana this year.

“Although they are by the same sire they are different types physically. I think this filly is a bit more laid back, and relaxed, and she will probably stay a bit further in time.

“She is up behind at the moment, so she is still very much a work in progress. We will go away and see what the trainers want to do with her next. Whether she will pop back into a novice, or go up in grade I don’t know.

“She has got a bit more growing to do, and she has got a good mind on her as she battled well there.”

And while Zanthos, who added the Rockfel Stakes to her CV last season, has failed to kick as a three year old, Wall believes it will be a different story with Lex Victoria.

He added: “She is up behind at the moment, so she is still very much a work in progress. We will go away and see what the trainers want to do with her next. "Whether she will pop back into a novice, or go up in grade I don’t know.

“She is a nice filly for the future, and unlike Zanthos, who didn’t appear to train on this year, I think this filly will.

"She won’t want over-exposure on ground as quick as this as she got away with it today."

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