Gemma Tutty has a number of options for exciting prospect © Photo Healy Racing
Gemma Tutty’s Elsie’s Ruan has Sweet Solera and Stonehenge options after impressing with her debut victory at York.
The filly is a daughter of Ulysses out of a Helmet mare and made her first appearance on the Knavesmire in a novice event late last month.
There she was ridden by Joanna Mason in an 18-runner contest over seven furlongs, starting at 22-1 as one of a handful of horses who had not run before.
She was steadily into stride and not always afforded a clear passage, finding herself with plenty of runners to pass halfway through the race.
The two-year-old showed clear ability to progress from that point, however, and began to battle Archie Watson’s Praetorian in the final furlong.
The two horses pulled five lengths clear of the third, with the rest of the field a further five lengths or more behind, and it was Elsie’s Ruan who fought hardest to prevail by a head.
The filly now holds an entry for the Group Three seven-furlong Sweet Solera Stakes at Newmarket on Saturday, though the one-mile Listed Stonehenge Stakes at Salisbury next Wednesday is also an option.
“I think we’re going (to Newmarket), it’s not set in stone yet, as we are looking at the Listed race at Salisbury on Wednesday,” Tutty said.
“She’d been impressive enough at home but I thought it was quite a lot for her to take in on debut, to go to a track like York in a big field against experienced rivals, but I couldn’t have been more pleased with that performance.
“She was a bit slow into her stride, she got stopped for a run about two furlongs out. I think she’s won despite plenty not going her way.
“The tenacity that she’s shown down to the line, you can’t train that into them, so it’s nice to have that to work with.”
Tutty is leaning towards the Newmarket contest, though she expects her horse to relish a step up in trip in time and it is that consideration that has brought Salisbury into play.
“The fact she’s a Ulysses means she’ll get further in time, I’d be happy to go at a mile now,” she said.
“I’d prefer Newmarket to be a mile but it’s a fillies-only and that makes it more tempting than the Listed race at Salisbury – the colts are in that, so it’s a bit of a Catch-22 really.
“She breezed really well at Newmarket, so she’s been on the track and we know she’ll handle it, the rising ground at the finish should suit and she should sharpen up from her first to second run.
“I’d be happier if it was a mile, but hopefully she’ll get away with it.”
