Arabian Dusk (left) © Photo Healy Racing
Arabian Dusk came home best of all to shed her maiden tag at the third time of asking in the bet365-sponsored Duchess of Cambridge Stakes at Newmarket.
Although the daughter of Havana Grey had shaped with significant encouragement in finishing second on her Doncaster debut and third in the Listed Empress Stakes on her first two starts, she faced a rise in grade for this Group Two contest, with several fillies placed at Royal Ascot in opposition.
Impressive Carlisle winner Bountiful took the field along for much of the six-furlong contest, with Harry Davies not far behind aboard 12-1 shot Arabian Dusk as she sat on the tail of 15-8 favourite Heavens Gate, who had finished third behind stablemate Fairy Godmother in the Albany Stakes at Ascot.
As Bountiful’s early exertions began to take their toll late on, it was left to Arabian Dusk, Heavens Gate and the Albany fourth Mountain Breeze to fight out the finish, and Simon and Ed Crisford’s filly finished the strongest in the dying strides to prevail by three-quarters of a length.
