Lead fulfils promise at York
by Michelle Fortune, 15 May 2008
Promising Lead confirmed that she has lost none of her ability by comfortably winning the totepoolscoop6 Special Middleton Stakes at York.
Sir Michael Stoute's filly proved popular with the punters as she was sent off the 2-5 favourite for the Group Three and she did not disappoint, scoring by three and three-quarter lengths in the hands of Ryan Moore.
Flying Clarets set the early pace but she found herself under pressure at the two furlong pole when Neil Callan brought Under The Rainbow with a challenge.
Promising Lead was also making headway and she had no problems easing past the leader over a furlong out.
She pulled clear and claimed the spoils in impressive fashion from Under The Rainbow with Flying Clarets a further seven lengths back in third.
When asked about future plans for the four-year-old, Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager for owner Prince Khalid Abdullah, said: "We'll have a look at all the mile-and-a-quarter races open to her and she may stay a mile and a half.
"We'll look at a combination of them. It's nice that she's got this Group win.
"She was only beaten a nose in the Prix de l'Opera last year. It was agonisingly close and we'll try to put that right. She's done it nicely."