Independent Newspaper EBF Valiant Stakes

Wasseema All The Way

One-time 1000 Guineas hope Wasseema revealed what those at Freemason Lodge have known all along, that she is a filly of Group race potential, as the daughter of Danzig dismissed her eight rivals with a relentless front-running display, to score by seven lengths under Richard Hills. The Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly, sent off an 11/2 chance, had a big reputation in the spring but is a quirky customer and flopped when only seventh in the Group Three Shadwell Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket in April, behind subsequent 1000 Guineas heroine Speciosa, before taking a mile maiden at Goodwood on June 9.

Angus Gold, racing manager to owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, reported: It is nice to see her fulfill the potential the lads in the yard knew she had. She has shown a lot at home but I must confess, I was not that impressed when she won her maiden. Id never seen what theyd seen but they do not get it wrong very often. The great thing is that she is now a stakes winner. It is important to look at what she is achieved today. She has misbehaved and would not go into the stalls, but the first time earplugs did her no harm. She floated to the start with that great long stride of hers. The commentator said she was going too fast early on but it didnt seem that way to me. Now we can look to step her up in class.

The runner-up delighted her Italian-born trainer Marco Botti, who is in his first season with a licence in Newmarket. She came to me from Italy two months ago and I always thought she was the type of filly for this sort of race," said Botti. "But I thought she would need the race today and come on and improve. She is quite lightly raced - she ran three times at two and only once before today this season. Shes a genuine filly with a very good turn of foot and I think she wants good ground or good to soft.

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