SECRET SATIRE IMPRESSES AT YORK

The Filly was a 22-1 shot and raced prominently on the far side of the course

Secret Satire boosted her Classic aspirations with an impressive victory in the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York. Trained by Andrew Balding, the filly was a 22-1 shot and raced prominently on the far side of the course under Oisin Murphy.

She stayed on strongly up the straight, heading Francophone by two lengths at the line, with Classical Song a further half-length behind in third. The 8-11 favorite, Friendly Soul, was never traveling well and pulled hard after being dropped to the rear of the field, eventually finishing last among the seven runners.

Having finished third in a Sandown novice on her seasonal return, Secret Satire's odds for the Betfred Oaks were cut to 14-1 – a race Andrew Balding has previously won with Casual Look.

Andrew’s wife, Anna-Lisa Balding, commented, "Andrew was very hopeful that she’d come on from her last run, which was encouraging, and she looked well today. He said to me before I left this morning, 'come back with a winner, it’ll be tough, but this filly will finish in the first three.'"

"Oisin was confident actually when we legged him up and he’s come back in and been very complimentary, so we’ll see how she is but I think the last Friday in May (Oaks) could be an option. They didn’t go very quick early and she was over-racing a little bit for the first half a mile, but she’s a gorgeous filly who really covers the ground. I’m so delighted for Guy Brook (owner/breeder), it’s his first Group winner, he’s a big supporter and I’m absolutely thrilled. It’s 21 years since we won the Oaks (with Casual Look) and it’s just lovely to have runners in those big races. It’s the time of year when all the geese are swans and all the smiles on the mornings can turn the wrong way round, but that one will really put a smile on Andrew’s face."

Murphy added, "She wasn’t that silly early, we were just going very slow and I couldn’t get cover because the leaders stayed off the rail. It wasn’t a true test of stamina, so we don’t really know whether she’s going to stay at Epsom, but on that performance she didn’t do a lot in front and she deserves maybe to go there if Andrew decides."