Desert Flower secured a victory at Doncaster

Desert Flower lived up to her even-money favouritism and preserved her unbeaten record with a powerful performance in the Betfred May Hill Stakes at Doncaster.

Trained by Charlie Appleby, the Night Of Thunder filly had previously won two races at Newmarket before stepping up to Group Two level. 

She appeared to face a challenge two furlongs out as Ollie Sangster’s Flight surged into the lead, while William Buick had to work harder on the favourite. However, Desert Flower soon shifted gears and asserted her class, ultimately winning by a length and a half. Aidan O’Brien’s January finished second, with Flight fading to third.

Following her victory, Coral shortened her odds to 12-1 from 16-1 for next season’s 1000 Guineas, while Paddy Power made her 4-1 from 6-1 for the Fillies’ Mile.

Buick commented: "It was very satisfying. She’s done everything right so far, and she’s a big, scopey filly with plenty of potential for next year. I was always confident, and she handled the ground well. She had a little look when she hit the front, which is understandable for an inexperienced two-year-old. I was delighted with her performance. She came into the race very easily, which is a sign of quality, and she confirmed what she had shown us both at home and in her previous starts."

Alex Merriam, assistant to Appleby, added: "We’re very pleased. Will was happy with how she travelled and performed professionally. She had a momentary look around when she hit the front, but she saw it out well, and we couldn’t ask for more.  The ground wasn’t a major issue for her. Although it wasn’t too soft, she handled various types of ground. We’ll aim for the Fillies’ Mile next and see how she fares there. She showed a good turn of foot at Newmarket, but it’s always different in a Group race. She deserves a shot at a Group One now. She’s not the flashiest worker at home, but she does everything well. We’ll target the Fillies’ Mile and assess her from there. She’s a big, promising filly, and we hope she’ll continue to improve. For now, she’s our best two-year-old filly."