Impressive Nell Gwyn performance from Soliloquy

Soliloquy could be supplemented for next month’s British Classic, the G1 1,000 Guineas, following a dominant all-the-way success in the 11-runner G3 Nell Gywn Stakes over seven furlongs at Newmarket, UK, on Wednesday, 18 April.

The Dubawi filly, stepping up to Pattern level for the first time on her three-year-old return, broke smartly and held a narrow advantage under William Buick.

Soliloquy travelled powerfully throughout and quickened well to extend her lead approaching the final furlong before being eased in the closing stages to score by a length and three quarters from Altyn Orda in 1m 26.67s on turf described as good, good to soft in places.

Her trainer Charlie Appleby commented: “I was confident about Soliloquy’s chance after watching Wild Illusion working earlier (at Newmarket Racecourse) because they have been doing some nice work together.

“I was very pleased with Wild Illusion and I said to William afterwards ‘hopefully that puts the other filly (Soliloquy) in good stead as well.

“Physically, Soliloquy has done well from two to three, and I think she is a smart filly. It has only been in the last three or four weeks that she has really turned the corner - she has blossomed and speed has come from where we haven’t seen speed before - her work has impressed me. We came here quite confident.

“My original thought, at the end of the last year, was that she might be an Oaks filly, but since the late spring she has just got stronger and shown there is plenty of speed there. Potentially we will make our way down the Guineas route first and then work away from there.

“If you are fortunate enough to have a nice filly, sometimes it pays not to over-complicate things. William was confident that he would go out there to make the running and he has given Soliloquy a great ride from the front.

“Soliloquy only broke her maiden last year at Ascot and we had to serve it up to her to see where we are.

“I will speak to Sheikh Mohammed about supplementing her for the 1,000 Guineas (1m, Newmarket, May 6) and it will be a nice discussion to have over the next week or so.

“We will see how she comes out of this race, but I see no reason why we hopefully won’t be making a supplementary entry.”

William Buick added: “She had been pleasing Charlie and everyone at home – this is only a trial and it is early in the year, but she couldn’t have done much more.

“Soliloquy made her own running at Ascot on her final two-year-old start and she is a big filly, who likes to use her stride.

“She was doing things at her own pace in front and I could attack the dip whenever I wanted.

“She has done it really well and it was a nice performance. She handled the track very well, which is always very pleasing here, and she has the pace as well.

“So I wouldn’t be surprised to see her back here in May. She has won this trial and leapfrogged a lot of horses.

“Wild Illusion has won her G1 at two and she has shown she is a top-class filly. She is a little bit more the finished article than this filly probably. This morning was not a strenuous work, but she really pleased me and Charlie. 

“We will see what happens – they are two very nice fillies by Dubawi – it is great.”