Libertango books Albany Stakes ticket with impressive Leicester debut

Libertango booked her ticket to the Albany Stakes at Royal Ascot when making an impressive debut at Leicester.

Trained by George Boughey, the daughter of No Nay Never was snapped up for 400,000 guineas at the Craven Breeze-Up sales and was sent off at 4-1 in the hands of Billy Loughnane, up against some smart rivals in her British EBF Maiden Stakes introduction.

Having made stylish headway as the race developed she hit the front a furlong out and showed plenty of resolve when asked by the 2000 Guineas-winning rider to win her race, pulling a length and a quarter clear of runner-up Savage Mariner.

Boughey said: “She’s a very straightforward filly who we haven’t had long. It was almost too good to be true how relaxed she was and I hoped to see it on track because we’d seen it at home and she’s making up into an Albany filly, I would think – Billy was pleased.

“When she was bought she was bought to win a maiden and then go to Ascot and that is what we will do. Will she stay any further than six furlongs? We will see. The family suggests she should get a mile but as a physical she looks a five-furlong horse so if she can stay any further she’ll be a good filly.

“She’s got the make up and brain for Royal Ascot and there was no pressure coming here today with a horse like that as she makes my job easy. She’s a nice filly and we’re lucky to have her.

“Hopefully she can come out of this well and we can look forward to Ascot.”

Elsewhere on the card, an intriguing British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes went the way of experience and Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Harlequin Breeze (7-2), who relished the quick conditions to pull four and a half lengths clear of Ralph Beckett’s 4-5 favourite Crownright.

“Experience came to the fore and what with the quick ground today, she probably let herself down better than anything,” said winning rider David Egan.

“Jane has always held her in high regard and she was highly entered earlier in the spring and hopefully this does her confidence the world of good ahead of the rest of the year.

“She’s well bred by New Bay and she got into a nice rhythm and hit the line well.”