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Soul Sister stuns Musidora field

Soul Sister (18/1) entered the Epsom Oaks picture on the Knavesmire this afternoon with a stunning success in the Group 3 Musidora Stakes.

John Gosden.
John Gosden. Picture: PA

The Gosden-trained filly disappointed when well-beaten in the Group 3 Fred Darling on reappearance but seemingly relished the step up in trip and return to better ground at York this afternoon.

Although unfancied in the market on the back of that Fred Darling performance the daughter of Frankel was ridden with restraint under a confident-looking Frankie Dettori. The pace-setting market leader Infinite Cosmos (15/8) looked to hold every chance turning for home but could only find the one pace to finish back in third. Novakai (10/3) stuck to her task well to fill the runner-up spot but was ultimately no match for Soul Sister who sprinted clear up the York straight for a widening four-length victory.

Speaking with ITV Racing's Adele Mulrennan Frankie Dettori said: "The trip was too short, and it was heavy ground [Newbury] and it was a period when John's [Gosden] horses needed a run. I had a good omen this morning though because a bird pooped all over my trousers when riding out".

"She did everything I wished her to do. She travelled, and quickened twice it was a very good performance. I'm very happy with her".

Trainer John Gosden added: 

"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 showed 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."

Soul Sister has been cut to a general 9/2 from as big as 66/1 on the back of that emphatic success.


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