Petrushka leapt to the head of the Sagitta 1000 Guineas betting following a scintillating performance under champion jockey Kieren Fallon in the Shadwell Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket today.
Although bred for middle distances, the Vodafone Oaks is her long term target , the Unfuwain filly showed such a devastating turn of foot as she came out of the pack approaching the final furlong that her dozen rivals in the seven-furlong event were left chasing daylight as they entered the last 200 yards.
In the end it was the Mick Channon-trained Seazun who followed the 7-2 favourite home four lengths adrift with Aunty Rose, trained by John Dunlop, a further one and a half lengths back in third.
Petrushka's trainer Sir Michael Stoute had the look of a satisfied man as he removed the saddle from her back.
"Her progress through the winter has been very good," he admitted.
"Although she has a middle distance pedigree her dam won over five and six furlongs and her second dam was faster than that so there is a bit of speed there.
"She has always been a quick learner and she did it well, I am very happy."
When Fallon first rode the filly his immediate reaction was to mark her down for the Epsom Classic.
"My first thoughts were for the Oaks for her and I hadn't even considered the Guineas but she showed such a tremendous amount of speed that she must have a great chance," he said.
"She has speed, a serious turn of foot and she travels well, this was the one horse I've looked forward to riding this week."
Despite all the praise he heaped on the filly the jockey refused to describe Petrushka as the best of her sex he has ridden, yet.
"I don't want to say anything like that until after the Guineas but ask me then," he smiled.
Coral offered the best price of 5-2 favourite (from 7-1) following the race but were forced to trim the filly to 7-4 after immediate support.
Victor Chandler, William Hill and Ladbrokes all quote her at 2-1.
Despite the manner of Petrushka's success, Channon is not afraid of Seazun taking her on again next month.
"She'll definitely go straight for the Guineas now," he said. "She'll come on a lot for this race. She was stuck in there when the race hotted up and the winner got first kick.
"I have to be thrilled with that, the faster they go in the Guineas, the better."
Trainer Neil Graham admitted he was pleased to see the end of last season after his Newmarket stable suffered badly from the virus.
However, he received a boost when Rayyaan supplied the yard's third victory of the year when landing the William Hill 'Tax' Free Internet Betting Stakes (Showcase Handicap) with a short head success over Camberley.
Rayyaan now has a two from two record this season following an earlier victory at Southwell and Graham said: "He is a tough horse and has improved a fair bit since Southwell."
DHG Partnership head David Hardisty recouped some of the #135,000 he paid for May Contessa when the Bahri filly landed the Stetchworth Maiden Stakes by one and a half lengths from 11-4 favourite San Salvador.
Hardisty has a team of seven with trainer David Elsworth who described his patron as "a serious owner."
