Pretty Crystal showed plenty of grit to hold off the late surge of the hat-trick seeking Dance Sequence in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket.
Viewed as the first 1000 Guineas trial of the spring in Britain, Charlie Appleby's previously unbeaten Dance Sequence was the favourite to enhance her Classic claims.
William Buick was briefly short of room on the Godolphin filly and it was just then that Oisin Orr on Pretty Crystal made his decision to set off in pursuit of Brian Meehan’s Kathmandu, who had made a bold bid for home.
As Kathmandu’s stride began to shorten, it was Richard Fahey’s Pretty Crystal who looked the likely winner but Dance Sequence, once in the clear, began to make ground.
The favourite began to roll around upon meeting the rising ground, though, making life difficult for Buick, and that enabled Pretty Crystal to come out on top by a neck at 18-1.
Fahey said: "I'm just delighted because she had some tough tasks last year and it’s nice to get one. She’s been placed a few times, but I kept saying she was a black-type filly and it’s the first time she’s won one so it’s grand.
"It was a real career-best, the favourite looked a good filly and she battled away. It was a good, hardy, tough performance and you would have to be really pleased with her.
"She had to step up and she has done, she stuck her head down and kept going and we’re delighted. We were expecting a decent run and I thought we definitely had an each-way chance.
"We haven’t put her in the 1000 Guineas and when she stepped into Pattern company last year she was found wanting a little bit. We could supplement her, but we will speak to the team and work our way from there.
"It’s been a lucky race for us and I think it’s something like the third time we have won it now. It’s quite a prestigious race and to get black-type in a race like that is great. We are little bit shocked that we beat the Godolphin filly."
Orr said: "I was delighted and things went a lot smoother today as a few times I’ve been unlucky on her.
"I got a lovely run and she is tough, she hit the line strong and was great.
"She had good form as a two-year-old, but I think she’s a lot stronger and she’ll be right up there with the good fillies we have and it’s good to get her head in front."
Appleby said of Dance Sequence "Without winning, we are delighted with the run and that is very much what the trials are there for.
"I spoke to William and said we are going to have to ride her a bit closer to the pace because the twice she ran last year she just got through the line and was learning on the job. Today there were pacier fillies in there and I thought he might just have to ask her a bit more to get to them and I think we saw all of that develop throughout the race.
"Even going to the line, William thought he had won and she ducks out towards the rail so it’s just all about learning and I think you will see a different filly in two and a half weeks’ time. That extra furlong will suit and just the experience of this itself.
"The Guineas is two and a half weeks away so needless to say we hope there is a little bit more there, hopefully."
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