Sea The Stars's See The Fire In Middleton Romp

   Sent off the 8-11 favourite for Thursday's G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Middleton Fillies' Stakes at York, Jeff Smith's See The Fire was in a class of her own at the end to fully justify the support. Always travelling with menace under Oisin Murphy, last year's G3 Strensall Stakes winner and G1 Nassau Stakes and G1 Sun Chariot Stakes-placed daughter of Sea The Stars moved through tiring rivals to take command two out.

   Benefitting from the strong pace set by Doha, the homebred was able to stay more or less on par to the line as the rest trod water 12 lengths and more in arrears. Siyouni's Beautiful Love earned the distant second, a neck ahead of Night Of Thunder's Royal Dress in a race that was entirely about one filly.

   “She relaxed great–I thought it was evenly-run and she was always comfortable and in control,” Murphy said. “She was only beaten a neck in the Nassau last year and I was gutted because I thought we might get there but anyway, she deserves to win at the top level and it's great that Jeff is here today enjoying her.”

   Runner-up in the G2 May Hill Stakes and third in the G1 Fillies' Mile at two, See The Fire was on the premises in some big ones last term, most notably when fourth in City Of Troy's Eclipse which was much-maligned at the time but which can subsequently be seen in a much better light. Coming up just short to another Ballydoyle runner in Opera Singer at Glorious Goodwood, it was here that she truly shone when taking the Strensall and after a warm-up fifth on her 4-year-old bow in Sandown's G3 Gordon Richards Stakes she was ready to fire.

   For Andrew Balding, this represented welcome confirmation of the winner's class. “We've always had a very high opinion of her and she's improved since last year,” he said. “We probably made a bit of a mess of her last year, as we didn't step up in trip until it was too late. For some reason, she wasn't at her best in the Eclipse, but she really found her feet after that despite having a busy season. We were a little disappointed on her comeback run at Sandown, but she probably needed the run and that's put her spot-on for today.”

   Notably, this came a decade on from the dam Arabian Queen's remarkable upstaging of Golden Horn at 50-1 in the G1 Juddmonte International here. Also part of the resume of her illustrious sire, that feature looks on the cards for the winner.

   “We always fancied the Nassau for her this year and if that goes well, we might consider coming back here in August for the Juddmonte International,” her trainer added.

   Arabian Queen, who also captured the G2 Duchess of Cambridge Stakes and G3 Princess Elizabeth Stakes and was third in the Nassau, has proven a smart producer for Jeff Smith. Her first five foals feature Frankel's money-spinner handicapper Spirit Mixer, the listed-placed Arabian Storm by Kingman, this filly and last year's G2 Royal Lodge Stakes runner-up Royal Playwright, with that son of Lope De Vega also in action on this card when ninth in the Dante. Out of the dual G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Barshiba, her 2-year-old colt Venetian Prince is by St Mark's Basilica while her yearling is a filly by No Nay Never.

AL BASTI EQUIWORLD DUBAI MIDDLETON FILLIES STAKES-G2, £160,500, York, 5-15, 4yo/up, f/m, 10f 56yT, 2:09.44, g/f.

1–SEE THE FIRE (GB), 128, f, 4, by Sea The Stars (Ire)

   O-Mr J C Smith; B-Littleton Stud; T-Andrew Balding; J-Oisin

   Murphy. £91,020. Lifetime Record: MG1SP-Eng, 12-3-2-2,

   $704,007. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the

2–Beautiful Love (Ire), 128, f, 4, Siyouni (Fr)–Powder Snow, by

   Dubawi (Ire). O/B-Godolphin; T-Charlie Appleby. £34,508.

3–Royal Dress (Ire), 128, m, 5, Night Of Thunder (Ire)–Wadaa,

   by Dynaformer. O-Saeed Manana; B-Rabbah Bloodstock

   Limited; T-James Tate. £17,270.

Margins: 12, NK, 1 1/4. Odds: 0.73, 12.00, 14.00.

Also Ran: Ambiente Amigo (GB), Karmology (GB), Doha (GB), Sioux Life (Ity), Nakheel (Fr).