Bitter proves sweet for Appleby
Last Updated: 30/05/14 6:39pm
A round-up of the rest of the action from Newmarket, where Charlie Appleby enjoyed a pleasant surprise with Bitter Lake.
Charlie Appleby seemed pleasantly surprised by the highly impressive racecourse debut of Bitter Lake at Newmarket.
The market was not predicting huge things either, as the half-sister to 2011 Fillies' Mile winner Lyric Of Light went off at 7/1 for the Countryside Alliance Foundation EBF Stallions Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
After struggling initially, Bitter Lake caught alight when switched wide by Mickael Barzalona and stormed past rivals to win by a length and a quarter.
"She's more like her dam and we've just let her do her own thing," said Appleby.
"That was better than what she's done at home. You'd hope she'd improve and she has done it quite nicely there.
"Royal Ascot wasn't the target, but after that you'd have to think about the Albany."
One Richard Hannon horse beat another in the Countryside Alliance EBF Stallions Fillies' Handicap.
Kieran O'Neill had made a forward move on Jive but had no answer to the finishing blow landed by Richard Hughes and 9/2 favourite Baby Bush, who won by three-quarters of a length.
Baby Bush was eighth at Newbury last time, and Hughes said: "We won that race with Aertex, who we like a lot, and Jamie Spencer suggested we drop the filly back to six furlongs. She was good today."
Small local trainer Martin Smith can start planning a really exciting mission for Hillbilly Boy as he maintained his revelatory progress in the Lloyds Bank Cardnet Handicap.
This was a third victory in six starts since joining the Hamilton Road stable, and the 2/1 favourite dominated under Andrea Atzeni to clear five lengths away.
Smith is considering the Buckingham Palace Stakes now, and said: "To have a Royal Ascot runner in my first full season as a trainer would be a dream.
"He just enjoys his racing. I don't do a lot with him at home, but I wish I had 20 more like him."
Top Tug (4/1), who once beat Dubai hero Toast Of New York as a juvenile, was back on the winning trail in the Lloyds Bank Commercial Supporting Your Business Handicap.
Sir Michael Stoute restricted himself to describing the win as "very pleasing" before excusing himself to the stewards' room, while jockey Shane Kelly said: "It was a stop-start gallop and he's not very experienced but he's going the right way."
Mayfield Boy (7/1) and Kieren Fallon foiled Flycatcher in the Lex Autolease Classified Stakes, while Trulee Scrumptious (15/2) got off the mark at the 19th time of asking as she made all under an enterprising Jimmy Quinn in the Lloyds Bank Commercial East England Fillies' Handicap.