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UK: Hot Snap storms to victory in Nell Gwyn

3 minute read

Hot Snap is as short as 5-1 favourite for the Qipco 1,000 Guineas after coming from last to first with a sustained and powerful burst to defeat favourite Sky Lantern for Sir Henry Cecil and Tom Queally.

Winner of a maiden at Kempton last September on her sole start as a juvenile, the filly was competing off an official mark of 78 but stepped up massively on that form to defeat Sky Lantern, winner of the Group 1 Moyglare Stakes last term.

It was a performance laden with class and she is now joint-favourite with Just The Judge with several firms but as short as 5-1 outright favourite with Coral and William Hill.

A half-sister to the top-class Midday, Hot Snap was running in the famous Prince Khalid Abdullah silks, and while Frankel may now be retired, he could have another ready made Classic contender to fill the void.

Queally was still in last place with two furlongs left to run but he had been keen to track Richard Hughes on 11-4 favourite Sky Lantern, with the pair making their move against the nearside rail from just over a furlong out.

It was a tactic that paid off, as 10-1 chance Hot Snap soon got past Sky Lantern, surging away by two and a quarter lengths, with Winning Express also staying on to take third at 11-1, a further two and a half lengths adrift.

Cecil said: "She's coming to herself - she's not there yet and she wants a mile, plus. I expect her to come on quite a lot for this, so she's possibly a Guineas filly, otherwise she'll be a very nice filly for the Coronation Stakes.

"She's a baby and will be much better in three weeks time. She's a very big filly, a typical Pivotal. She'll improve a lot."

Jockey Tom Queally was also of the opinion an extra furlong will help Hot Snap, as he said: "She's a very smart filly who will be much better over a mile. She took a while to pick up but she was pulling upon me at the end."

Richard Hughes said that Sky Lantern will improve for the run and will return for the Guineas, with Ed McMahon, trainer of Winning Express also confirming that a return to Newmarket next month for his filly will be the plan.


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