Worth Waiting well named as patient Lanigan reaps his reward

Worth Waiting lost her maiden status only in late May at Redcar but has wasted little time moving through the ranks and on Sunday she added an easy Group 3 success in the Prix Minerve at Deauville to wins at Windsor and Newmarket.

The daughter of Bated Breath was well named according to trainer David Lanigan, given the high regard in which she has always been held by those closest to her.

"We've always thought she was a black-type filly and early on in the season I thought she might be an Oaks type," said Lanigan. "But she had only one run as a two-year-old and didn't come in her coat early enough. We had a hard spring so I left her alone.

"If she'd won a maiden I might have put her in an Oaks trial, but she was second and so we went the sensible route. She's repaying us."

Lanigan said he and owner Saif Ali would continue to play the long game with a filly he believes will get stronger with more time.

"We'll take it step by step this year because she's still strengthening," said Lanigan. "She's in everything at home and it's a question of whether we go up to Group 1 this year or stick at Group 2."

Worth Waiting had three lengths to spare over Hermaphrodite at the line. The immaculately bred Zarkamiya stayed on for third having got checked on the home turn, with trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre inclined to blame a hard race last time out.

"I think we'll give her plenty of time to get over this and maybe look at a race like the Prix de Royallieu," said Royer-Dupre. "The winner is very good but I think you'll see Zarkamiya come back to form if we give her time."