Racing: Melody calls the tune

Woodland Melody and Eloquent earned 33-1 quotes for next year's 1,000 Guineas after fighting out the finish to the Star Stakes at Sandown yesterday.

The race, described by Eloquent's trainer, Sir Mark Prescott, as "the best staying race for fillies so far" looked likely to go to the Newmarket trainer for a second successive year until Woodland Melody pushed her nose ahead in the dying strides.

"As she's by Woodman I was worried about the ground being too firm," the winning trainer, Peter Chapple-Hyam, said.

Elizabeth Hitchins, who with her husband Robert owned Toby Tobias and Golden Freeze over jumps and Tagula on the Flat, has died. As a mark of respect, Martin Dwyer wore a black armband on the Hitchins-owned Sudest, who finished third at Sandown yesterday.