La Rioja leaves a sweet taste

The Henry Candy-trained two-year-old was ridden by Andrea Atzeni and beat six rivals pulling clear, eventually scoring by four and a half lengths and two and a half from Whatdoiwantthatfor and Unlit.

Candy told Racing UK: "She is very exciting - she has a wonderful turn of foot and is a very big, strong girl who has grown all year.

"When they come over to the stands side they tend to bunch up a bit, but she had an explosive turn of foot when needed."

Asked if the Cheveley Park Stakes might be considered, Candy said: "That would be up to the owner, but we would have to give it some thought - I was thinking of a trip to Scotland for the Firth Of Clyde Stakes [at Ayr] where she is likely to get the ground she likes. As she matures she'll cope with faster ground but at this stage of her career she needs a bit of cut.

"She is an out and out sprinter, but the more she races the faster she'll get - I know it would be pointless to race her over a yard further than six furlongs, but as she matures she might be able to cope with five furlongs."

The victory was a good omen for tomorrow's Gr.1 Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock, in which Qatar Racing is represented by Pearl Secret, who was luckless last time at York, and Strath Burn, who has won his two most recent starts. The race is another leg in the QIPCO British Champions Series.