Silver Knott cruises to Solario success

Silver Knott added to Charlie Appleby’s plethora of options for next season’s Classics with a smooth victory in the Fasig-Tipton Night Of The Stars Solario Stakes at Sandown.

The son of Lope De Vega, who had built on a promising Newbury debut fourth to subsequent Acomb winner Chaldean when getting off the mark at Kempton, improved markedly for that experience, with a visually impressive display in the seven-furlong contest.

Dual winners Dornoch Castle and Wahaaj set the pace, yet Silver Knott was on the bridle, cruising ominously behind under Pat Dobbs, who stepped in for the sidelined James Doyle.

The writing was on the wall two furlongs out with everything else under pressure and once given the office, Silver Knott (9-4) silkily went past to score by a comfortable three and a quarter lengths from Wahaaj.

The Queen, whose silks were carried to success in the race by Reach For The Moon last year, was represented by 85-40 favourite Desert Hero, who stayed on well for third having run keen in the early stages.

Silver Knott was handed a 20-1 quote for next season’s Qipco 2000 Guineas by Coral but Paddy Power and Betfair were more impressed and go 16-1.

“It’s nice to have these winners and this time of year it’s nice to unearth these type of horses,” Appleby told Racing TV.

“A few of them are starting to put their heads up above the parapet now and announce themselves.

“Over the next month to six weeks it is an exciting time but I’m sure there are plenty more out there from other stables who will emerge. Ourselves, we have a few more to run in the next couple of weeks.

“We obviously wont he Gimcrack with Noble Style and had Victory Dance win at Newbury so we will try not to but heads too much and look for the right ones to step up in trip.

“This might be one of those horses, he’s got a pedigree to die for and one that suggests as he goes up in trip we’ll see further improvement.

“The more you can get to dream about in the winter it shortens it and then we see what reality brings in the spring.”

Derby-winning trainer and jockey combination Richard Kingscote and Sir Michael Stoute teamed up again in style, as Potapova came with a withering run to claim the spoils in the Group Three JRL Group Atalanta Stakes.

Runner-up in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes at Epsom in June, she had under-performed on her previous two starts yet the Cheveley Park-owned filly looked a totally different proposition on this occasion.

Grande Dame, sent off the 9-4 favourite after scoring over course and distance last time out, looked set to score when cruising to the front with a furlong and a half to race under Robert Havlin.

However, Kingscote’s mount came wide and late to wear her down and, in the end, the 18-1 shot ran out a cosy length and a half winner.

Stoute’s assistant James Savage said: “She ran really well at Kempton and then Epsom and we thought maybe a step up in distance would work, but she showed that 10 furlongs didn’t really suit at Newcastle and she didn’t give herself much chance in either to be honest.

“Then at the Curragh we were a little bit confused as she just didn’t race really, we don’t know but she’s been in great form at home and she’s been threatening do win a race like that since last year.

“I know Cheveley Park (owners) are always willing to keep their horses in training but she’s a Stakes filly now, so she’s done her job. We like racing our nice horses here and it takes a nice filly to win that race.”