Johnston takes Lumiere out of the ordinary

The Mark Johnston-trained filly shot to the top of the ante-post markets for the fillies’ Classic after storming to an impressive debut victory in a maiden at Newmarket under William Buick.

Charlie Johnston, son and assistant to the Middleham handler, said: “It is not the ordinary route for us to jump straight from a maiden win to a Group Two but we don’t think she is an ordinary filly.

“She was very impressive at Newmarket and we are still dreaming. William was incredibly complimentary about her that day and feels she is up to this grade. I am not sure that she beat a lot at Newmarket but she couldn’t have done it any better and we shall learn a lot more about her at York.

“A lot of her rivals have form at stakes level and will have had plenty of racing. We are looking forward to it.”

Connections of the William Haggas trained-Besharah believe her superior experience can aid her attempt to make it back-to-back Pattern race successes, having captured the Group Three Princess Margaret Stakes at Ascot on her latest start.

The Haggas stable is fine form – the Yorkshire-born trainer recorded a double yesterday – and Bruce Raymond, racing manager to owner Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum, is bullish.

He said: “This is the best opposition she’s taken on, but she’s very good. Lumiere looked impressive but it was probably against ordinary horses. Besharah has beaten much better horses.”

Meanwhile, Covert Love hopes to frank her Irish Oaks win by landing the Darley Yorkshire Oaks at York after being supplemented by connections following her Classic triumph.

Trainer Hugo Palmer said: “Covert Love has been great since the Irish Oaks – I’m absolutely delighted with her. The £35,000 supplementary fee is a lot of money but luckily it’s her money, money that she won at the Curragh, and it was not a difficult decision at all because the Yorkshire Oaks was the obvious race for her.”