3 minute read
Charlie Appleby and William Buick teamed up for a remarkable 402/1 four-timer at Yarmouth on Wednesday afternoon, which included the impressive success of Sapphire Seas in the Listed John Musker Fillies' Stakes.
In a season where Charlie Appleby has been somewhat quiet by his standards, Buick and the boys in blue proved they were very much still forces to be reckoned with on Yarmouth's East Coast.
The well-backed Romantic Style (6/4 F) kicked off proceedings by building on her eye-catching debut effort at Newbury to land the British EBF Fillies' Novice Stakes at 2.40. The well-bred daughter of Night Of Thunder looked in need of the experience at Newbury but showed a much more professional attitude this afternoon, travelling strongly under the hands of the Champion Jockey, before quickening up for a commanding three-and-a-half length success.
Speaking to Sky Sports Racing, Buick said: "She was green first-time-out. That experience was put to good use here and there was a bit of headwind here and she was facing it, so to be fair to her, that was a nice performance."
The Moulton Park Paddock's team only had to wait half an hour for their second success of the day, as the gelded son of Blue Point, Edge Of Blue (7/2), stayed on nicely against the near side rail to claim the EBF Future Stayers Maiden Stakes contest.
Sapphire Seas was subsequently sent off a 9-2 chance to take the step up to Listed company in her stride following an impressive display on her turf debut at Haydock last time, and she duly obliged under a confident Buick ride.
The Frankel filly travelled kindly in behind rivals before quickening up smartly once the gaps appeared and eventually strode clear for an effortless two-and-a-half length victory.
Roger Varian's Mukaddamah ran on well to fill the runner-up spot, while Infinite Cosmos shaped as though she would come on from the run on her first outing since finishing third behind Soul Sister in the Musidora Stakes at York in May. The 10/11 favourite Al Asifah never looked comfortable in her bid to bounce back from finishing sixth in the Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot in June and ultimately finished well beaten back in seventh.
Of the winner, Buick told Sky Sports Racing, "It was a very smart performance. She won nicely last time at Haydock in a fillies' handicap, and she's certainly stepped up on that.
"She's going to keep improving hopefully. I would say the team will be delighted with what they saw there and hopefully, she'll be around for next year.
"This is a nice race, a lovely race for fillies. Let's hope she can go on to better things."
Buick and Appleby's final winner on the card came when First Sight (11/2) bounced back from a disappointing run at Newmarket to take the Moulton Nurseries Handicap, in the process completing a speculator 402/1 four-timer.
