Musidora Stakes report and free video replay | Soul Sister soars to Musidora success

Ridden with patience by Frankie Dettori, the daughter of Frankel bounced back from a poor showing in the Fred Darling at Newbury to run out a most impressive winner by four lengths.

Sent off at 18/1 and seemingly unfancied, she sprinted away from her rivals in the straight with Novakai (10/3) finishing second and Infinite Cosmos (15/8 favourite) third.

John Gosden said: “We liked her at Doncaster but when you’ve won your only race, you are almost forced into a trial. We ran in the Fred Darling but the ground was bottomless. It ended up being a nice piece of work.

“Lady Bamford won this with Star Of Seville, so I was keen to run to see what we had. I didn’t expect her to win by four lengths but I did think she’d definitely be in the three. It’s wonderful for an owner/breeder to win a race like this.

“Frankie thinks she should run in the Oaks, so we will. Frankie is having a good spell, he was in Belmont last week. It looks like he has a chance in the Oaks and the Derby is quite open too, so we’ll see what happens in the Dante.

“She’s trained very well for this, I’d explained to Lady Bamford we needed to find out what we had and I knew the trip and ground would improve her.

“Recently she’s really come to herself, a lot of fillies have struggled this year with the cold and wet spring. She’s really bloomed in her coat and shown her class today.

“At the moment, I’ll talk to Oisin (Murphy) again, but I think we’ll have Running Lion (Pretty Polly winner) in the Oaks as well. At this moment we’ve got two lovely fillies.”

Dettori added: “John liked her but the ground and the distance at Newbury were wrong and John’s horses all needed the run.

“She gave me a great feel, travelled well, quickened twice and won by four lengths. I wasn’t really expecting that!”

Karl Burke was satisfied with Novakai’s effort in second, but feels the Prix de Diane is a more likely target for his charge.

“You’re always a bit disappointed when you get beat, but she ran a lovely race for her first run and the winner had a run under her belt.

“She got in a nice rhythm. With hindsight we probably could have gone and made the running, but they were going a nice, even gallop and she quickened up once and just keeps galloping after that.

“I have to speak to the owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, but I would say the French Oaks (Prix de Diane) is probably favourite. She is in the English Oaks as well and I’m sure she would stay a mile and a half, but I know Sheikh Mohammed Obaid was favouring the French Oaks beforehand.

“She’s a high-class filly and had some good fillies behind her today.”

Sir Michael Stoute would have preferred not to set the pace with Infinite Cosmos, who was beaten a further half-length in third as the 15-8 favourite.

He said: “She ran a nice, solid race and stays well.

“She’s still a little bit raw. It wasn’t really the plan (to make the running), we just sort of found ourselves there. We would have liked a lead.”

Midnight Mile came home fourth for Richard Fahey, who said: “She ran well and there was plenty of strength in depth in the race.

“I just felt she got tired in the last furlong, so that will put her right.

“We’ll keep her at that trip at the moment, definitely. On the dam’s side she can go further in time, but at the moment I’m thinking of the Prix de Diane and I haven’t changed my mind.”

Timeform View: David Cleary

She might have been the complete outsider of the eight runners in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York, but there is no obvious reason to doubt the performance of Soul Sister in scoring impressively by four lengths. In the process, she sprang from nowhere to show herself a serious contender, so far as the Oaks at Epsom is concerned.

Soul Sister had raced twice previously, both runs on heavy ground, winning a mile maiden at Doncaster last autumn, but trailing in last of 12 in the Fred Darling on her return. However, at York, she proved a completely different proposition on good ground and over an extended mile and a quarter. Keen early, Soul Sister quickened well from off the pace when asked and was soon in control once she went to the front approaching the final furlong.

Soul Sister beat the 'right' horses. The Fillies' Mile second Novakai, the form pick was runner-up, with the well-touted favourite Infinite Cosmos in third. The placed pair had every chance and were beaten convincingly, hard to see why they would turn the tables at Epsom.

Overall, the form of the Musidora looks up to scratch, of a similar standard to that shown by Snowfall and Emily Upjohn in the last two renewals. Soul Sister shouldn't have an issue with the longer trip at Epsom – she has a brother that won at a mile and six and a close relative that stays that far as well.

Savethelastdance set a high standard with her wide-margin win at Chester last week, but Soul Sister, from left field, produced a performance that suggests the favourite won't have things all her own way in just over two weeks' time.

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