Diamond Rain sparkles with strong Haydock display
Formerly run at Ayr, the Listed race looked the perfect spot for a filly whose parents, Shamardal and Dancing Rain, both won Classics.
Her career began in the best fashion, after being unraced at two, she won her first two outings, including an Oaks Trial at Newbury. However, she finished last in the Ribblesdale and only fourth after a break at Doncaster at the end of the season.
Returning to action under William Buick, she looked in trouble with a quarter of a mile to run as Running Lion loomed up to Place Of Safety, but once Diamond Rain hit top gear, she went on to win impressively by a length and three-quarters from fellow 9-4 joint-favourite Running Lion.
Appleby's assistant Alex Merriam said: 'That was very good. She's a big old girl and she will have strengthened up.
'We'll see what Will has to say but she's seen that trip out, so the Lancashire Oaks is a possible maybe. She's a big filly, so you think she'll want further, but Will has always said she's got plenty of pace. That was a good starting point.
'At one point, she just hit a bit of a flat spot but once she got rolling, I always thought she'd get there.'
Roger Varian has an improving horse on his hands in the shape of Teroomm (3-1 favourite), who brought up his third successive win in the £100,000 Betfred Silver Bowl.
The Iffraaj colt was fourth on his only run at two in November but wins at Bath and Thirsk hinted at better things to come.
Silvestre de Sousa tracked King Casper down the middle of the track and his mount picked up nicely to win by three-quarters of a length from Tilted Kilt and the fast-finishing Afentiko – and Royal Ascot will no doubt be on the winner's agenda.
'They went very quick early on and jumped out of the gates half a stride quicker than me,' said De Sousa.
'The pace was strong enough for me to sit where I was and the race panned out perfectly as I always had a target to aim on.
'He's a nice horse and I think this race will bring him on again.'
The Royal Hunt Cup beckons for Great Chieftain, who continued his improvement with a win in the Betfred Supports Jack Berry House Hell Nook Handicap.
Paul and Oliver Cole's four-year-old ended last season with wins at Goodwood and Newmarket and after two unplaced efforts in the spring, he got back to winning ways last time out at Newmarket's Guineas meeting.
Buick was always perfectly positioned on the 11-4 favourite and he beat Dashing Darcey by three-quarters of a length.
Coral cut him to 16-1 from 33s for the Hunt Cup.
The William Haggas-trained Malestrom (2-1 favourite) made it three out of three for the season in the Betfred 'The Classic Bookmaker' Edge Green Handicap, winning off a mark of 80 having begun the season off just 68.
Chester Cup runner-up Caballo De Mar justified 10-11 favouritism in the Carfinance247 New Boston Handicap under Callum Shepherd. The Northumberland Plate is likely to be next.
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