Cuban too hot for St Hugh’s rivals

Cuban Mistress earned herself a deserved return to the winner’s enclosure with a front-running victory in the BetVictor St Hugh’s Stakes at Newbury.

After opening her account at the second attempt at Sandown in May, Rod Millman’s filly finished second on three successive occasions, including behind Rocket Rodney in the Dragon Stakes.

A stiff six furlongs at Ascot in the Princess Margaret Stakes proved beyond Cuban Mistress three weeks ago, but dropping back to the minimum distance for this Listed contest, she proved her true worth.

The 16-1 shot was given a well-judged ride by Ross Coakley, who set the fractions in front before kicking for home approaching the final furlong.

Union Court did her best to reel in the long-time leader, but Cuban Mistress found plenty for pressure to prevail by three-quarters of a length, with her stablemate Woolhampton also running well in third.

“She has always been a nice horse. We tried her over six, but she didn’t stay last time – but over five she is pretty good,” Millman said of the winner.

“She is a very tough filly with a good constitution. Can’t say enough about her, really.

“The filly who was runner-up in the Super Sprint (Woolhampton) was third. She ran well and goes for the Somerville Sales race at Newmarket.

“I don’t know what we will do with the winner. If we had not have won today, we would have gone down the novice route to get the bonuses. Now we will probably still aim high – the Cornwallis possibly at the end of the season? I think there are a couple of races, and she is a tough little filly.”