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The 7/1 shot Nymphadora showed her rivals a clean pair of heels to win the Listed City Wall Stakes for trainer Andrew Balding and jockey Jason Watson at York this afternoon.
Showers on Friday changed the complexion of this 5f contest significantly, with Regional, Tees Spirit and Queen Me all pulled out on account of the going. The deteriorating conditions will have drawn no complaints from Nymphadora's connections, however, as she had produced a career-best to win a Class 2 handicap at Chester's May meeting on soft ground. It was the lightly-raced Changeofmind who took the remaining eight runners along in the early stages towards the stands' side rail, though Nymphadora was always poised to his outer, while unlucky Epsom 'Dash' runner-up Silky Wilkie was prominently-positioned too.
Nymphadora took over from the faltering Changeofmind at the two-furlong pole and readily asserted a furlong out. She stretched a length and a quarter clear of Silky Wilkie in second, with Great State keeping on for third. The 5/2 market leader Kerdos could never land a blow and trailed in sixth.
A four-year-old daughter of No Nay Never who runs in the silks of Andrew Stone's St Albans Bloodstock, Nymphadora was a smart performer at two, winning the Listed Marygate Stakes over the same course and distance that she triumphed over today. She was also fourth to Armor in the Gr.3 Molecomb Stakes at Glorious Goodwood, before rather losing her way later in the campaign.
She was only sparingly raced last season, finishing a narrow second in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Handicap at Royal Ascot, but has taken her form to even greater heights this year.
The victory provided a welcome tonic for 2018 Champion Apprentice Jason Watson, who forged the brightest of reputations when based at Balding's famed Kingsclere jockey academy but has been enduring a quiet season. This was just his 21st success of the calendar year, and a first at Stakes level, but the young rider will be hoping it proves a springboard to a successful second half of the season.
