Newmarket review: Worth Waiting wins Dahlia Stakes

A review of the rest of the action from Newmarket on QIPCO 1000 Guineas day as Baghdad got favourite-backers off to a good start.

Worth the wait

Worth Waiting was cut from 50/1 to 25/1 for the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot after winning the Charm Spirit Dahlia Stakes.

David Lanigan's filly sat on the shoulder of the leader Nyaleti in the early stages of the nine-furlong Group Two and after jockey James Doyle took it up around three furlongs from the finish, she stayed on powerfully to win a length.

The disappointment of the five-runner field was 5/4 favourite Veracious who could muster only fourth under Ryan Moore.

Classic credentials on show

The Listed Tweenhills Pretty Polly Stakes went the way of the William Haggas-trained Maqsad (5/4 favourite), who really stamped her class on proceedings under Jim Crowley.

The Daughter of Siyouni won a mile maiden at the Craven meeting last month but stepped up markedly on that bare form, relishing the move up to 10 furlongs and pulling five lengths clear of John Gosden's Shambolic, who was tried in Group One company as a juvenile.

Haggas said on Racing TV: "I was impressed and she settled well. I was keen to go (over the trip) and she stayed well. She's out of a Galileo mare.

"The big question is the extra couple of furlongs. She's in the French Oaks, the Epsom Oaks and the Ribblesdale so we've got to sit down and think about it.

"Now she's won a Listed race it's definitely up in class again. I'm not so sure it was the strongest renewal of this race but we'll decide what to do."

Sky Bet cut her to 7/1 from 33s for the Investec Oaks and the firm's Michael Shinners said: "Maqsad is clearly making significant progress with every racecourse appearance and she oozed class under Jim Crowley.

"It will be very interesting to see if connections try her over a mile and a half with the Oaks a potentially tempting target now."

Baghdad leaves it late

Baghdad moved a step closer to a return trip to Royal Ascot as he resumed winning ways in the Qatar Racing Handicap at Newmarket.

Having suffered a fractured cannon bone after winning the King George V Handicap at the Royal meeting last year, the Mark Johnston-trained Frankel colt went two places better on Sunday than on his seasonal return at Newcastle - running out a half-length winner of the mile-and-a-half contest.

Johnston said of the 9/4 winner: "Unfortunately he fractured a cannon bone after winning the King George V.

"He has had surgery on it, and it is great to see horses like that coming back from serious surgery."

Baghdad stayed on well under Silvestre De Sousa, ahead of John Gosden's Corelli, and Johnston added: "Clearly he is still on the upgrade. I don't know whether he needed it (at Newcastle) - but he got the job done today.

"Silvestre said he was quite keen early.

"Frankie (Dettori, on Corelli) slowed it up a bit - but he got to Frankie in the dying strides.

"He has seen that out today well - and with a strong pace, I still think a mile and a half is probably ideal. I would say we would look at the Duke Of Edinburgh back at Ascot."