Lady Dutch

Lady Dutch put up a nice performance to win the Listed Snowdrop Stakes over a mile at Kempton on Saturday.

Marco Botti’s filly did have the run on the race, she sat up on the outside of leader Wee Jean from flagfall, but she picked up nicely at the two-furlong pole when Martin Harley asked her to, she put daylight between herself and her rivals inside the final furlong, and she appeared to win with plenty in hand.

A three-time winner in her native Italy at San Siro as a juvenile for Bruno Grizzetti, this was just Lady Dutch’s second run in Britain for Maco Botti. On her first run, over this course and distance in February, she was impressive in winning a conditions race, confounding her weakness in the pre-race market. That was probably a step forward on her Italian form – she was placed in a Group 3 race at San Siro last October – and Saturday’s performance was probably another step forward. There is every reason to expect that she will continue to progress now for her current trainer. She is a straightforward filly, she travels well, she can be placed anywhere in her races, she has a nice turn of foot and she stays a mile well. She is by Dutch Art so, even though she is out of a Montjeu mare, her breeding suggests that a mile may be her optimum distance. She should be able to step up in grade again now, and she will be of interest wherever she goes next.

4th April 2015