Mutamam led his rivals a merry dance in the opening Old Vic Cumberland Lodge Stakes at Ascot today.
Alec Stewart`s charge was soon at the head of affairs in the Group Three contest and it was a lead the 4-6 favourite refused to relinquish despite the attentions of Frankie Dettori`s mount, Happy Change, as the runners entered the straight.
Richard Hills always looked confident on board the winner who responded to his jockey`s prompting in the straight to record a comfortable three-length success over Happy Change with King O` The Mana a further neck back in third.
Stewart and Mutamam`s owner Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum will spend some time over the next few days deciding on the winner`s next target although the trainer did concede that his next racecourse outing will be on the other side of the Atlantic.
'I will need to speak to Sheikh Hamden but we will be looking at the Breeders` Cup or the Canadian International at Woodbine,' said Stewart.
'We thought he Arc wouldbe too hard for him so we will go to America to make him a Group One horse. It`s definitely worth a go.'
Dettori soon got off the mark, however, when Crystal Music called the tune over Summer Symphony in the Meon Valley Stud Fillies` Mile.
And the Italian celebrated the one-and-a-quarter-length success by producing his trademark flying dismount, the first time he has dismounted in such a fashion since breaking his leg in the tragic plane crash which claimed the life of pilot Patrick Mackey back in June.
The Group One event had always been the target for Crystal Music, according to winning trainer John Gosden.
'She won her maiden well and we always had this race in mind after she won a conditions race back in August,' he said.
'We didn`t want to overface her as the progeny of Nureyev can be a little highly strung.'
The master of Manton would not be keen to run the filly in the Sagitta 1000 Guineas despite a quote of 10-1 about her chances in the Newmarket Classicfrom Coral.
'I think we would probably aim her for the Prix Saint-Alary (over a mile at Longchamp in May) and the Prix de Diane Hermes (French Oaks),' he added.
Explaining the return of the flying dismount, Dettori said: 'The adrenalin took over and the ground was soft so I thought `let`s go for it`. The ankle is fine.'
Referring to Crystal Music, he added: 'She has a good body, good cruising speed and a good turn of foot. It all points to a fine future.'
