Sukanya swoops to foil Touleen at Newbury

Jack Channon’s Sukanya came from last to first to put a dent in the Classic aspirations of Touleen in the Dubai Duty Free Stakes at Newbury.

Fourth in a Group Three at Goodwood last summer and second afterwards in a Listed contest at Leopardstown, the winner did seemingly have her limitations exposed when finishing down the field on her final outing in the Rockfel Stakes.

Sent off at 16-1, she was set a tough task by David Probert when dropped out right at the rear and having been heavily backed into 5-4 favourite Touleen hit the front for Saffie Osborne at the furlong pole looking the likely winner.

However, she had no answer to Sukanya who really found her stride in the notable 1000 Guineas trial to win by three-quarters of a length.

Channon said: “She’s a very good filly and had a very high level of class last year. My two-year-olds were very backwards last year and she was the obvious standout and put in some very good performances against some very good fillies.

“She was an unlucky fourth behind Precise in the Prestige (at Goodwood) then second to Diamond Necklace at Leopardstown and was just a bit over the top in the Rockfel.

“I’ve told anyone who would listen over the last two weeks that this filly wouldn’t finish outside of the first three and she’s high-class. She’s got a devilish turn of foot and she’s beaten a filly fancied for the Guineas on merit today.

“We’ll campaign her in big races now. We would have to supplement for the 1000 Guineas and before this my thoughts were she wouldn’t handle the dip. She needs top of the ground, but we’ll see and I will discuss with the owners.

“My first reaction is I would like to go for the Irish 1,000 Guineas, but if I have to have my arm twisted, I won’t complain at having a runner at Newmarket.”

Of Touleen, trainer Owen Burrows said: “I have no real excuses, she just didn’t quicken up as I’ve seen at home or as a two-year-old.

“Whether or not she’s just a bit rusty, I don’t know is the honest answer.

“Saffie said she was the last one to pull up and she purposely let her gallop out so I have no worries about going further.

“We’ll see how she is and as long as she comes out of it all right, the Guineas wouldn’t be out of the question. Maybe she is just a little rusty, but she didn’t show the speed you saw the first two times she ran.

“Other than that she did everything else right and I’m perfectly happy other than finishing second.”