Mill Stream goes far and wide to win Duke of York awards

A spectacular rerun of the 1895 Duke of York Clipper Stakes at York was recently won by Mill Stream.

Mill Stream, ridden by William Buick and trained by Jane Chapple-Hyam, started the Group Two race as the 4-1 joint favourite but had to fight hard to get to the finish line in a four-way duel.

After a while, Shouldvebeenaring lost to Mill Stream by a nose, with a photo needed to separate the pair.

Diligent Harry lost by a neck to finish third, while Washington Heights finished another neck behind in fourth place. He is still searching for his first turf triumph.

If owner Peter Harris agrees, Chapple-Hyam would be happy to enter the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot, where Mill Stream is now an 8-1 favourite after starting at 14-1 with Coral.

She said: “He’s a tough, brave horse and he’s come on a lot since (finishing second in) the Abernant but he’s only just won. I think he’s pretty versatile, he goes on any ground. It was soft when he won in France last year twice but quick in the Abernant. I’d like to go to Ascot on Saturday (Jubilee) but I’ll see what Mr Harris wants to do. Mr Harris has landed me with some nice horses and I’m in a lucky position, I’ve got 18 for him so it’s nice to win a big race for him and we’ve got Rolica, the filly, to look forward to and some colts coming through. I think he’s good enough to run in the Jubilee, I’d like to see the splits as it’s on the slow side of good today but he’s against older horses. Mr Harris is very easy to deal with, he comes up every Saturday morning. He was out of the game for 15 years but now he’s in big. His daughter Alison has her horses with Mr (James) Fanshawe.”

With a furlong remaining, Tom Marquand and Tiber Flow looked to have avoided any major injuries until they came down.

Chapple-Hyam added: “I wasn’t sure if we’d won and I appreciate they couldn’t show the replay because of the faller but thankfully Tom and the horse look OK.”

Buick was more than delighted with the winner’s performance and said: “I got carried left a little bit but he really put his head out and I was delighted he got the verdict. He’s been knocking on the door a few times, hopefully this is his year as three-year-olds can struggle when sprinting, he could have a big year ahead of him.”

Clive Cox, the trainer of Diligent Harry, may consider sending his runner to Royal Ascot, though a retreat from six furlongs is probably in order.