Rerouted Oisin Orr drives Pretty Crystal home to undermine Dance Sequence, the hot favourite's hopes of winning the 1,000 Guineas

Following Pretty Crystal's Group 3 victory over favourite Dance Sequence in the Nell Gwyn Stakes, jockey Oisin Orr was not expected to be riding at Newmarket on Wednesday until Beverley was cancelled.

Dance Sequence finished 10-11, and as a result of her loss, Coral moved her up to 6-1 (from 4-1 joint favourite) for the 1,000 Guineas on May 5 on the Rowley Mile. The conqueror trained by Richard Fahey is not entered in the first fillies' Classic.

Pretty Crystal, who was positioned in black company the previous year, finished 18-1 in the ten-person field. Before making a break for home at the Bushes, she travelled well off the pace set by second-favourite Matrika near the side of the stands.

After a fierce battle up the hill with the runner-up, the filly owned by Sheikh Rashid Dalmook emerged victorious by a neck, and third-place finisher Kathmandu can be marked up, having only Lexington Belle for a company on the opposite side.

For the third time after Barefoot Lady (2011) and Sandiva (2014), Fahey, who was winning the 7f feature, stated: “I didn't think we would beat the favourite but she came here fit and well and these Dubawis improve a lot from two to three.  She had some tough tasks last year, including running in the Queen Mary, and ended up with some black type, but not up to this level. She's not in the 1,000 Guineas and I don't think we'll be supplementing her, but I'll have to speak to the owner”.

Oisin Orr said: “I was originally supposed to go to Beverley until it was off, so this is a real bonus. She battled very hard out there and we knew she was coming here in good form. She kept finding for me when the second came alongside and was not for passing”.

Dance Sequence is still on track to attempt to give Charlie Appleby and William Buick their first 1,000 Guineas victory despite her losing.

The trainer said: “William was happy. On her first two starts, she was raw and got to the line just in time. I said to William as they were going out, ‘Don’t forget, she’s still learning’, and that was how it was for her today. She’s going to be all over going up in trip to a mile, and this was not the race we were training her for; you don’t tune them up for the trial. We want her to be at her best in two and a half weeks, and today’s experience and that step up in trip will help ensure she is”.