Alyssa battles back for consecutive wins as Dobbs gets serious

When the going gets tough, the tough get going, no more so than Alyssa, who battled back in taking tenacious fashion to provide Ralph Beckett with consecutive victories in the Park Hill.

It was an armchair ride for Pat Dobbs on DFS ladies’ day for the first mile of the Group 2 event, setting a steady pace aboard Alyssa, but he was forced into full drive in the final two furlongs as the pair battled back to deny Aljezeera and stablemate Melodic Motion, who dead-heated for second, by half a length.

Successful in the race with Simple Verse last year, it was Beckett's perceived second string at 25-1 who stole the show.

Beckett said: “I thought at the top of the straight Alyssa would take some catching. She had been lobbing away in front for a mile and she really stayed on well – Pat gave her a super ride.

“She’s a proper madam to train and have anything to do with – she’s never been easy her whole life – but she’s tough.”

Dobbs managed to dictate proceedings for most of the way, travelling at a leisurely pace in the early stages that afforded Alyssa enough time to focus on the ITV wagon following the runners around Town Moor.

Her challengers one by one came off the bridle in the straight, although with Aljezeera and Melodic Motion flanking her at the furlong marker, grit and determination were called upon. Alyssa responded in abundance.

William Hill and Paddy Power shortened Alyssa, owned and bred by Kirsten Rausing, to 20-1 (from 25) for the Long Distance Cup on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot on October 21, which Beckett indicated would be her end of season target.

For all the delight of feature-race glory, Beckett bemoaned the level of prize-money.

He said: “I'm delighted for Miss Rausing, although I have to say it was diabolical prize-money for a Group 2. We were running for £100,000 in handicaps at Ascot last weekend so it’s poor to have just £90,000 for a Group 2.”

Most people would have thought a first and joint second would be the ideal scenario for Beckett, but the Andover trainer was left with a tricky phone call to make.

Beckett said: “In a way I would rather that Melodic Motion had finished third as I'll now have some explaining to do to Sheikh Fahad, but she travelled like a dream. She just didn't quite get home.”

Results and analysis

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