Glittering Surf stakes early Ascot claim at Kempton

Glittering Surf ignited Royal Ascot dreams when enhancing her reputation at Kempton on Saturday.

A taking winner at the Sunbury track on debut in December, Owen Burrows’ filly was sent off 8-1 in the hands of David Probert for the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places/British EBF Fillies’ Conditions Stakes, a race that looked full of hot prospects.

Oisin Murphy attempted to make most aboard Andrew Balding’s Bermuda Longtail, but showing plenty of zip to run down the 6-5 favourite, Glittering Surf produced a sparkling performance to remain unbeaten.

Refusing the temptation to head for a version of the 1000 Guineas, Burrows is plotting a course to the Coronation Stakes at the Royal meeting in June, with a trip to York for the Listed Sky Bet Fillies’ Stakes on May 16 up next.

Burrows said: “It was a very pleasing performance. We were obviously drawn out in seven and I didn’t want her stuck out there, so I said to David to try get a bit of cover and to do that he has had to take her right back.

“Watching it back, they didn’t look to go overly quick so I thought it was impressive to do what she did and run them down and she’s obviously a pretty smart filly.

“I said to the owner that whatever she does today, she will take a good step forward and she’s a big girl who just needs to furnish a little bit and is a little bit behind coat-wise.

“The plan is she will go to the Michael Seely at York in the middle of May and that gives me six weeks now for her to blossom hopefully. That is why I was keen to get her out now even though it’s early enough, but timing-wise it works well.

“She has plenty of stamina on the dam’s side, but she’s obviously got plenty of tactical speed. She certainly wasn’t stopping so I’m not saying we couldn’t go up in trip in time, but she’s going to stick to a mile for now.

“We’ll go to the Michael Seely and she’ll have had her Coronation Stakes entry by then and hopefully we can dream.”

Charlie Appleby’s 6-4 favourite Cavallo Bay was unable to replicate the heroics of stablemate and subsequent 2000 Guineas hero Notable Speech in the Virgin Bet Best Odds Daily/British EBF Conditions Stakes.

The race has also been won by the likes of Maljoom (2022) and Mostahdaf (2021) in recent years and went the way of James Fanshawe’s Glittering Legend (5-2), who notched his third win in five starts to deny Hugo Palmer’s Hawksbill.

Fanshawe said: “He’s been going nicely and he wasn’t actually very suited by the conditions of the race, but he’s travelled very nicely and picked up well.

“His sire Too Darn Hot is doing really well and his dam is a sister to Golden Horn, so he has a really nice pedigree.

“I think his price reflected it wasn’t a complete shock, but a lot of my horses have been needing their first outings. He has always looked nice and you never quite know with these races what you are taking on as it’s the start of a new year.

“The fact he’s a gelding restricts things a little bit, but we’ll see how he comes back and play it by ear. He’s a nice prospect.”

Elsewhere on the card, Silvestre de Sousa got off the mark for the year in the UK aboard Charlie Johnston’s Cool Party (7-1) in the Virgin Bet Queen’s Prize Handicap, while champion jockey Oisin Murphy delivered 4-1 favourite Teumessias Fox to perfection in the Virgin Bet Every Saturday Money Back Rosebery Handicap.