Ribblesdale Stakes second for Wild Illusion

Wild Illusion produced another good performance over a mile and a half when coming home second in the G2 Ribblesdale Stakes at Royal Ascot on Thursday, 21 June. 

The three-year-old Dubawi filly, runner-up over the same trip for trainer Charlie Appleby in the the G1 Oaks at Epsom Downs on Friday, 1 June, raced slightly freely in fourth of the 10 runners initially, before moving up to dispute third with a mile to race. 

Wild Illusion stayed on under William Buick to go second passing the two-furlong marker and galloped all the way to the line, but could not challenge Magic Wand, who won by four lengths in 2m 28.52s on good to firm turf.

Charlie Appleby said: “You are always pleased when you finish in the places in a Group race with a filly, and Wild Illusion has run very creditably again. 

“A lot of people are going to ask about the ground, but William said the ground was no issue and that she lowered into it.

“As at Epsom William said, ‘I just wonder if she would be better coming back in trip’. She’s a great traveller in races, and looking at what we’ve got to campaign against for the rest of the season it might be better to accept we’ve been beaten twice over a mile and a half and it’s time to look at going a mile and a quarter.

“I was pleased with the way she came out of Epsom and she looked fantastic in the paddock today, but she did have to carry a 3lb penalty – not that I’m taking anything away from the winner because she has done it well. She [Magic Wand] is a Galileo filly and back on a sounder surface she obviously enjoyed.”

William Buick added: “Wild Illusion ran well. We followed the winner and Magic Wand was too good on the day. 

“She has run with great credit again. She might come back in trip.”