Skiffle could hardly have shaped with more promise on debut when third after a slow break in the 10-furlong Ascot maiden won by the giant Abingdon (Street Cry {Ire}) and confirmed that with a first black-type success in this former Oaks trial which used to be known as the Lupe. Better from the gate to race contentedly with two behind throughout the early stages, the bay needed to thread through rivals in early straight and when in the clear to pursue The Black Princess gave plenty to wear her down in the last 100 yards. “She was a different filly today. She was a bit more on her toes and jumped alertly, took a keen hold for a couple of furlongs but then just settled into a nice passage and rhythm and got a nice run round there,” trainer Charlie Appleby said. “She's learnt a lot again today–as William [Buick] said, she is only going to improve stepping up to a mile and a half. She doesn't quicken, she lengthens well. She's a filly we've thought about for the [G2] Ribblesdale [S. at Royal Ascot June 16] and we thought we could just test the water here. I feel she's justified that now.” Skiffle's group-placed dam Princesse Dansante is out of a half-sister to the leading sire Green Dancer from a family generally jam-packed with pattern-race performers. They include the G3 Prix Cleopatre winner Brooklyn's Dance (Fr) (Shirley Heights {GB}), dam of the Arc heroine Solemia (Ire) (Poliglote {GB}) and the G1 Prix du Jockey Club runner-up Prospect Park (GB) (Sadler's Wells), the G1 Prix Marcel Boussac and G1 Prix Saint-Alary heroine Silasol (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}), the G1 Grand Criterium-winning sire Okawango (Kingmambo) and the G1 Epsom Derby and G1 Juddmonte International hero and sire Authorized (Ire). This family was updated again on Sunday when The Gurkha (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) ran away with the G1 Poule d'Essai des Poulains. Princesse Dansante has a yearling filly by New Approach (Ire) and a foal full-sister to the winner to come. Click for the Racing Post result. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
VEOLIA HEIGHT OF FASHION S.-Listed, £40,000, GOO, 5-19, 3yo, f, 9f 192yT, 2:08.67, gd.
1–#SKIFFLE (GB), 126, f, 3, by Dubawi (Ire)
1st Dam: Princesse Dansante (Ire) (SW & GSP-Fr, $113,927), by King's Best
2nd Dam: Vallee Dansante, by Lyphard
3rd Dam: Green Valley II, by Val de Loir
O-Godolphin; B-Darley (GB); T-Charlie Appleby; J-William Buick. £23,680. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $35,685.
2–The Black Princess (Fr), 126, f, 3, Iffraaj (GB)–Larceny (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire). (€170,000 Ylg '14 ARAUG). O-R J H Geffen. £8,956.
3–Play Gal (GB), 126, f, 3, Multiplex (GB)–Plead (Fr), by Bering (GB). O-R Kent & D Mossop. £4,476.
Margins: 1, 7, 4. Odds: 5.00, 1.60, 25.00.
Also Ran: Visage Blanc (GB), September Stars (Ire), Zaakhir (Ire), Mirsaalah (GB), Dessertoflife (Ire), Cajoled (Fr).
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