2012 Middleton Stakes

racing_news/

Dalkala Dazzles in Middleton Stakes
16/05/13

1 Dalkala 2/1F
2 Ambivalent 8/1
3 Ladys First 8/1
8 ran Distances: 1l, nk, ½l
TIME 2m 12.43s (slow by 4.93s)

Alain de Royer-Dupre raided another big prize on the Knavesmire when Dalkala showed her class in the Betfred Middleton Stakes at York.

Dalkala
© Racehorse Photos

The 2-1 favourite travelled sweetly in the hands of Christophe Lemaire and her Group One form was to eventually prove head and shoulders above her rivals.

Roger Varian's Ambivalent made her work throughout the last furlong but never looked like getting there and was a length behind, with Richard Fahey's Ladys First third and Starscope fourth.

Lemaire said: "She stays very well and stays the trip so I took the lead a little bit early. After that she managed to keep the rhythm. She deserved to be favourite today and she won well. We are very happy. She is a very easy ride."

Royer-Dupre, who won the Yorkshire Oaks with Shareta last summer, said: "I know she is a good filly and she'd had a preparation race. She was fit and has done it well. Maybe the jockey came too early, but she stays and she never stops.

"In France we have the problem of races with no pace and with this kind of filly it is very difficult. There was a normal gallop and it was easier to make the difference.

"Maybe she can come back for the Yorkshire Oaks. She stays. She won the Group Two Prix Royallieu the weekend of the Arc on soft ground over 12 furlongs. Maybe she can come back. We could look a the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud but racing in England suits her because of the pace they go."

Varian said of Ambivalent: "I'm really pleased with her but she didn't give Ryan (Moore) much of a chance as she ran with the choke out. Hopefully she'll come on from that."

Betfred Middleton Stakes (Fillies' Group 2)
£100,000 added, 4yo plus, 1m 2f 88y, Class 1
8 ran
Going: Good