A star emerges in Sweet Solera as race is marred by fatal injury

There was a surprise and a shock in the Group 3 Betway Sweet Solera at Newmarket on Saturday.

The surprise was pleasant, especially for those closest to Star Of Emaraaty, who landed the seven-furlong contest at 66-1. The shock was distinctly unpleasant with co-favourite Fly Miss Helen pulled up sharply by Sean Levey having sustained what very sadly was a fatal injury.

Star Of Emaraaty had been pitched into stakes company prior to her run at Newmarket, with an 11th-placed finish in the Queen Mary at Royal Ascot and a fourth in the Listed Star Stakes at Sandown on her most recent start.

Sweet Solera result

For much of the race, the Kevin Ryan-trained filly looked set for minor honours once again, finding the pace plenty hot enough on a sweltering day as Dubai Fountain upped the ante from the front.

However, as others wilted coming up the hill, Star Of Emaraaty responded generously and continuously under the urgings of Kevin Stott, who came with a late surge to run down the leader and Seattle Rock, another rank outsider who belied her odds to finish third at 80-1.

The winner was greeted uproariously by the Allen family, part-owners of the juvenile as members of the successful Ontoawinner syndicate.

“I love this horse and I kept saying to everybody she’s going to win,” said Diane Allen, who was joined by her partner Chris and son Michael. “They were saying back, ‘Diane, I think we need to temper your enthusiasm because she’s 66-1 and she won’t like the ground’. She really tries and the combination of her doing that and Kevin Stott is perfect, I think.

“We’ve been involved in the syndicate only for a couple of years. It’s a strange situation for everybody and it’s a real shame the rest of the group can’t be here today. I know some people say owning horses is like an addiction and I can see why as we’re well invested now!”

The Allens had travelled from York to witness their filly in action at Newmarket, and Diane Allen added: “Kudos to the courses for trying to make everyone feel as welcome. At the end of the day, if there are no owners there is no horseracing.”

Ryan is set to discuss future options with the owners, but admitted he had felt it was a risk running the filly at Newmarket after she had become unbalanced at Sandown last time.

The trainer, speaking away from the track, said: “I thought she would have a fair chance of handling it if he got her down the hill as we knew when she hit the rising ground she would come home well.

“We were very hopeful of being in the three and not just being there to make up the numbers. If you think that way you always have a chance.”

Fly Miss Helen, trained by Richard Hannon and owned by Robert Tyrrell, was having just her second start having been an impressive winner of a Newbury maiden on her debut.

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