Juliet Capulet holds off late Nyaleti surge for Gosden and Dettori

Juliet Capulet came out on top of a thrilling battle with Nyaleti to give trainer John Gosden a first Rockfel Stakes win since Lahan in 1999.

Frankie Dettori, on the eve of a huge weekend in which Enable's bid for the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is taking much of the attention, warmed up for Chantilly in perfect style, racing prominently with Juliet Capulet towards the stands' side of the Rowley Mile.

The daughter of Dark Angel held a narrow advantage with four furlongs to run and travelled strongly in the Dip before finding enough to hold off the late-lunging Nyaleti, who had raced alone on the far side for a long time, by a head.

Few others ever looked like troubling the first two, although Gavota, unbeaten in two previous starts, shaped with promise to stay on into third a length and a half further back.

Dettori, who was winning the Rockfel Stakes for the second year in a row, following the victory of Spain Burg 12 months ago, admitted he was concerned for a moment as Nyaleti began to close the gap in the dying strides but praised the filly's overall attitude.

"Juliet Capulet raced very professionally and was very willing in the closing stages," he said. "She handled the ground but ran out of petrol in the last 50 yards. This is her trip."

Juliet Capulet's win at 9-1 provoked a difference of opinion among bookmakers regarding her chances in next year's Qipco 1,000 Guineas, with Sky Bet the shortest at 25-1 and Stan James biggest at 40-1.

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