Scenic has nothing to lose at York Racecourse as win in William Hill Bronte Cup Fillies’ Stakes offers Yorkshire Oaks hope

The Ed Walker-trained five-year-old won the Listed Galtres Stakes at the Ebor meeting last season and started this term on a good note when second at Goodwood at the same level.

Stepping up to a mile and six furlongs on her return to York in Group Three company, the bay held off all challengers, including the 6-5 favourite Term Of Endearment, to prevail by a head at 7-2 under Saffie Osborne.

“She’s a legend, she was awesome here in August and David (Ward, owner) very sportingly kept her in training,” said Walker, whose string is in tremendous form at the moment. “She’s just a really lovely, game horse and it’s a big result.

"We’ve always had this race in mind and then we just snuck in the race at Goodwood first, the ground was right and we thought it might bring her forward. We couldn’t get on grass much this spring, so there’s improvement in her still.”

On future plans, Walker said: “We’ll probably come back for the Yorkshire Oaks, she’s loves it here and we’ve absolutely nothing to lose.

“We’ll have a crack and then the Prix de Royallieu at the end of the year will be the big shot for her.”

Habooba extended her progression to the turf with a smart effort in the valuable William Hill More Top Prices Handicap.

T J Kent’s chestnut had just two starts on grass to her name before the five-furlong contest, with her career so far being centred around the all-weather surface on which she has run 18 times.

The five-year-old did little but improve in the latter stages of last season and the earlier months of this year, and continued to do so on the Knavesmire under Ray Dawson.

Having started at 28-1, she burst through the 13-runner field to show a real turn of foot and prevail by a length and a quarter over seasoned sprinter Bergerac.

“She has done nothing but improve, I’m delighted for her owner more than anything else,” said Kent.

“She’s a dream filly to train and just keeps getting quicker and quicker, Mohammed (Al Suboosi, owner) said she’d be a sprinter and I didn’t believe him at first.

“The drop back to five furlongs actually held no fears for us because the times that she’s been running the first five furlongs in are very quick and have given us plenty of confidence.

“William (Derby, York chief executive) and the team here do an incredible job.

"It is without a doubt the best track in the country.”

Tadej threw his hat in the ring for Royal Ascot with victory in the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing EBF Restricted Novice Stakes.

Trained by Archie Watson – who won this race with Bradsell prior to his Coventry Stakes success in 2022 – the Ardad colt was making his third career start.

His two runs prior had hinted at more to come, and under Hollie Doyle he started the evens favourite to get off the mark over six furlongs.

Drawing on the experience of his past runs he duly delivered, securing a neat neck victory from Walker’s Do Or Not Do and thus enter the Coventry market at 25-1 with Paddy Power.

Ten Bob Tony survived a stewards’ inquiry and denied the veteran Kinross to win the Betfred John of Gaunt Stakes at Haydock on a bumper afternoon for red-hot trainer Walker.

A winner first time out last season, the four-year-old Ten Bob Tony was not disgraced in the 2000 Guineas and also ran well in France behind the classy Topgear and he came out on top in the Group Three prize.

Walker’s string have bloomed of late, winning the Temple Stakes last week with Mgheera, the Brigadier Gerard with Almaqam, the Bronte Cup at York with Scenic and the Achilles Stakes at Haydock with Balmoral Lady before Ten Bob Tony did his bit.

Estrange looked a filly with a big future in taking the Betfred-sponsored Lester Piggott Fillies’ Stakes.

The David O’Meara-trained four-year-old was ridden with confidence by Daniel Tudhope.

Still in cruise control on the outside of runners travelling for home, the 13-8 chance was given the minimum of encouragement to account for favourite Shaha.