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Misty Eyed win thrills Dutfield

Saturday 05 August 2000 00:00 BST
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The Devon stable of Nerys Dutfield enjoyed its biggest success yesterday when the 3,200-guineas buy Misty Eyed won Goodwood's Group Three Molecomb Stakes, dedicated this year to the Queen Mother's 100th birthday.

The Devon stable of Nerys Dutfield enjoyed its biggest success yesterday when the 3,200-guineas buy Misty Eyed won Goodwood's Group Three Molecomb Stakes, dedicated this year to the Queen Mother's 100th birthday.

"What a thrill," said Dutfield on greeting her first Group-race winner. "From the first time she won I always thought that she might be quite good. I have always wanted to win the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham but to win this race named after her is so exciting.

"When Misty Eyed won her first race she was terribly green and her ears were going all over the shop. I felt then she could improve."

Dutfield expressed her delight for the winner's owner and for the jockey Lee Newman. "Her owner, Jan Fuller, has been very loyal to me and has been with us since I started training. I am so thrilled for her, for everyone at home and for Lee who has been riding out of his skin for us."

Mark Johnston, the trainer of the runner-up Bouncing Bowdler, was gracious in defeat, as befitted someone who saddled two other winners on the card to take his tally to four at this year's meeting.

"Obviously I wanted to win, but we have had our share of winners," he said. "He's come on a lot from his early races. Maybe six furlongs would be better for him now but Darryll [Holland] thinks five furlongs on a stiffer track would be suitable. He was beaten by a better filly - no excuses."

Johnston struck with Happy Diamond and Murghem to follow wins earlier in the week with Sharp Play and Royal Rebel.

Happy Diamond, the horse that was eased down by Royston Ffrench and caught on the line at Doncaster in June, clinched a hat-trick with a spirited effort in the mile and a quarter handicap. Ridden by John Reid yesterday, he overcame Starlyte Girl in the final furlong to land the race by a length and quarter.

"It's certainly come right for him now," Johnston said. "But I don't know about plans for him. He was 3lb wrong here, as he had a 7lb penalty and is due to go up by only 4lb in the ratings from tomorrow."

Murghem made it four wins on the trot in the Glorious Stakes and is a possible for the Melbourne Cup. Looking even further ahead, he has the Dubai Turf Classic on the agenda.

Observatory, the Jersey Stakes winner at Royal Ascot, made the most of the breakneck pace to win the Group Three Lennox Stakes and will now try to make it a hat-trick of Group- race wins in the Celebration Mile back at Goodwood. "It was a cruelly-run race but Observatory is crying out for a mile," the winning trainer, John Gosden, said.

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